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P. REGK". in 1 525 



By GURDON W. RUSSELL, M. D. 






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"Up Neck" 



IN 



1825 



BY 

gurdon w. Russell, m. d. 



HARTFORD 



1890 




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Gurdon Wads 

o John H. Lur<l 
Moses Burr 

> Leonard Keni 
Rope Walk, T 
■ Benj. Pratt 
n I,. Kennedy's Sho| 

o T. Belden's Storel 


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D O D ST.\ Ml A.RSI S 

o Thos. Marvin, Sh 
a Old Alms House. 


o John Goodwin. 
o Button Factory, 
o Wo. L. Church. 
□ George Cook, 
n Nathan Wadswor 

o Julius Jor 






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D Wm Wadsworth. 

■j. Aimer Wadswortl 
o Moses Goodwin. 



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THE CASE, LOCKWOOO A BRAINARD CO., 

PRINTERS AND BINDERS 

HARTFORD, CONN. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



"I . /HEN this sketch was promised to Mr. Burr of the Hartford Times, 
it was expected to consist simply of a map of the road from 
the present Tunnel to the Windsor Line, with the location and 
names of the dwellers there in 1825, together with a few pages of manu- 
script. After it was more seriously considered, it became evident that 
much more could be said than was at first anticipated, and properly 
be said too, as being a part of the local history of the town. 

A part of it was read at a meeting of the Connecticut Historical 
Society on the evening of January nth, and the greater part was 
published in the Times of January 18th and 29th, February 5th and 19th. 
A few corrections and some additions have been made since then, 
and a chapter on the North Meadow has been added. 

G. W. R. 

Hartford, May 15, 1890. 



CONTENTS. 



Preliminary, 



II. 

Why Up Neck, ........ 16 



III. 

The Tomlin, ........ 29 



IV. 

The East Side, ........ 33 



V. 

The West Side, ....... 6S 



VI. 

The District School, ....... 90 



VII. 



The North Meadow, 



UP NECK IN 1825. 



1. 

PRELIMINARY. 



rTT is proposed to give in this paper a list of household- 
ers residing on both sides of the road leading to Wind- 
__ sor during the year 1825. There may be some errors,, 
but it is believed to be essentially correct, for I knew most 
of them at the time, except at the extreme northern sec- 
tion, and have been pretty well acquainted with them 
since. Valuable assistance has been given by Mr. Henry 
Keney, Mr. Samuel Mather, Mr. A. E. Burr, Mr. Nathan 
Starkweather, Miss Margaret Goodwin, and others ; and all 
agree upon this list as now presented. 

As far as I know there are not many of these people 
living, and but few of their direct descendants in this 
town. It is a striking illustration of the decay or removal 
of families which will find its example elsewhere. We in 
Hartford often talk of our old families, as if they were 
still represented here with „us, but not many extend be- 
yond three generations. If we go over the whole town, 
the number will be found so small that we shall confess 
our astonishment. A single representative or so may still 
linger, but most of them are gone. Look at the old 
public records, or even in the early newspapers, and there 
will be found unusual or unfamiliar names. It is the 
same all over the State, and new blood has come in, from 
other towns or from abroad, to supply their places. 



8 Up Neck in 1825. 

While two-thirds of a century is sure to make great 
changes, there must be some now living who can 'give us 
Hartford as it was in 1825, in other sections ; the south 
end, the west part of the town, Cooper Lane, and Albany- 
Turnpike, should have its historians. It is hoped that 
some will attempt this, for these reminiscences are always 
interesting and valuable, as a delineation of our domestic 
life and manners. 

It has often occurred to me, and doubtless to others, 
that there were more instances of decidedly personal 
characteristics in former generations, than in our own. 
The population was smaller than now, and communication 
with one another was much less. There grew up in the 
little republics of the Colony or State a race of men who 
were obliged to think for themselves, and who did think 
for themselves; and so they became bold, independent 
characters, odd at times, and obstinate. There were no 
newspapers, or but few of them, to formulate and estab- 
lish their opinions as now ; they were resolute, and dis- 
cussed their various matters with great freedom, in the 
town, in the religious society, in the school district. Most 
of them could talk with vigor, better than they could 
write with elegance. If this .led to great diversity of 
opinion, it produced an independence of thought and a 
positiveness of expression ; their oddity was the natural 
6utcome of their surroundings. 

In 1825 the city line on the north extended no farther 
than Belden's Lane ; the stone which marked this limit 
was on the east side of the Windsor road, in front of 
Belden's store. The road itself was the common highway 
to the north, and was in the usual condition of most 
highways at that time, very muddy at certain seasons, 
and very dusty at others. The tax-payers brought gravel 
from Blue Hills and endeavored to improve it, with about 
as much benefit as usually comes when they are allowed 
to " work out their taxes." Whenever I pass the gravel 
pit, I never fail to remember the several loads procured 



Preliminary. 9 

there and dumped just above the Arsenal. Though too 
young- to load the cart, yet I could drive the oxen, and 
see that it was carried where it was wanted. For this 
purpose a boy of ten years was as good as a man of 
thirty. 

Although in this sketch, for the printer's convenience, 
the road is represented as straight, yet this was not abso- 
lutely so, for there were several small curves in it, and 
the trend was to the east. While in general it held to 
the high ground, yet it did not always do so, for there 
was a low place opposite the "Pool" lot, which was 
nearly reached by the spring freshet ; and another at the 
entrance to the Meadow road which was covered by 
very high water in the spring. This has now been raised, 
but within thirty years I have been obliged to go over 
the high ground in the lots on the west. 

The first milestone was in front of the old almshouse, 
nearly opposite the present gate of the North Cemetery ; 
the second one was, and is now standing, just south of 
the residence of Charles Mather ; the third is south of 
the "creek" which crosses the road near the old Red 
Tavern, which has lately been pulled down. The line 
dividing the towns of Hartford and Windsor crosses the 
road south of the house of Samuel Mather on the west, 
and turning, runs just north of the old John Marsh house 
on the east ; some say it passes through it. All distances 
were computed from the State House, the present City 
Hall, so that the route to be described is a little more 
than two miles in length. It was pretty thickly settled ; 
most of the houses were old, and a large number have 
now disappeared. Some were painted white, and some 
had been painted red, and not a few were perfectly inno- 
cent of paint, having acquired that soft brown color 
which Downing so much admired and did so much to 
introduce some years ago. 

This road was the great road to the north country ; 
there was none other laid out or traveled between this 



io Up Neck in 1825. 

one and the river on the east. To be sure, there was 
the road in the meadow, beginning at the foot of Village 
Street, where it crossed the creek bridge and ran north 
through the meadows for two miles or more, until it 
turned directly to the west and came out on the Windsor 
road, just south of George Wadsworth's. There were no 
houses on this road, unless it was a small, gambrel-roofed 
one near the creek bridge, and a very dilapidated and 
uninhabited one thirty rods or so north of it. This last 
was used as a barrack or hospital for soldiers in the war 
of 181 2. It stood just above the present ice-houses, near 
the water, and was a terror to all little boys who came 
out of the meadow alone, near sun-down, with a load of 
hay. I can answer for one who whipped up the oxen 
and drove past as rapidly as possible. The stories which 
men told about it, that it was filled with devils and all 
evil spirits, who were crowding at the windows and crawl- 
ing in the chimneys, were enough to fill a small boy's 
heart with terror. We had no doubt about the personality 
of the devil then. 

The farmers who owned land in the meadow were 
obliged to take quite a circuitous route ; I know how this 
was myself, for riding on horseback behind my grand- 
father, 1 have been over the ground many times. A small 
boy could not do much towards farming, but he was use- 
ful in riding a horse in plowing out the corn. It was a 
combination of business with pleasure, especially agreeable 
to the boy and very acceptable to him in place of harder 
work upon the farm, or harder work still in going to 
school. A few farmers, whose land extended from the 
Windsor road into the meadow, may have had a private 
passageway through the swamp, and I think Captain Cook 
had one, which could be used in dry weather ; but gener- 
ally there Avas a long swale, mostly covered with wood, 
and quite wet, called the "Swamp," which prevented much 
crossing. 

George Cook, the third of that name, tells me that 



Preliminary. ir 

there are occasionally found in plowing a number of 
large stones, of from eight to twelve inches square at the 
top, which are set in a direct line through the meadow 
toward Windsor, which are larger than the common 
merestone used to mark the division of the lands ; and 
these may indicate the layout of the road used -by the 
first settlers for a few years, and before the present road 
to Windsor was opened. If this line is prolonged it leads 
into the present course of the river, which is annually 
wearing away the western bank, which formerly was far 
out in the stream. 

The first settlers very naturally took this way to their 
brethren in the north. In all probability it was not much 
wooded ; a great open space must have been here, as 
level as a western prairie, extending far up the bank of 
the river, and as far as the swamp on the west, which was 
thickly covered with wood, as it was sixty years ago. The 
river bank may have been fringed with willows as at 
present, together with the river poplar,* and in some 
places must have been found the white maple and our 
common elm. Some large specimens of the former were 
standing not many years since, ancient and beautiful, es- 
pecially when branching near the ground, and the light 
under-surface of the leaf was turned upward by the fresh 
summer breezes which flowed up the valley. But the 
injury which came to them from the ice, upon the break- 
ing up of the river in the spring, caused a decay of their 
trunks upon their northern side, and they became almost 
hollow, or were rendered wholly so by fires kindled within 
them. A few may still be found, mere shells of their 
former grandeur. 

From the swamp on the west of this tract, the wilder- 
ness must have extended an unknown distance into the 
country. It was no easy matter to open a road through 
it ; it was not only difficult, but the time could not then 



* Populus Canadensis, Michaux : supposed by him to be identical with the Cotton- 
wood of the Western States. 



12 Up Neck in 1825. 

be spared from work absolutely necessary for subsist- 
ence, and so, as do the immigrants into any new country, 
they took the way which was most easy, and which kind 
nature had provided for them. These meadow lands were 
used to some extent by the Indians in raising corn, and 
were well suited to their imperfect means of cultivation. 
It is not known whether they were burned over by them, 
to keep down trees and shrubs, but naturally I think, 
there was from the peculiar location, a tendency to an 
open space, which seems to be common to many rivers 
flowing- through a level country, and annually covering 
their banks. The way was thus open to our fathers, and 
they gladly seized upon it. Afterwards, when they found 
that they were much incommoded by the high water for 
a part of the year, they naturally looked for relief by 
turning to the high ground farther west, about which 
something will be said by-and-by. 

On the west side of the Windsor road there was Bel- 
den's Lane, with no dwelling upon it, now called Belden 
Street ; it was the original road to the west country, and 
I know nothing of its layout or history. There was a 
pent road on the south line of the cemetery, extending 
west as far as the land of Gurdon Wadsworth, and only 
called, as I remember, "Nigger Lane," because there were 
a few houses upon it occupied by negroes. It is now 
more pretentious as Pine Street, and is also wider than 
formerly. I don't remember that it was ever called " Ne- 
gro Lane," or that it was ever said that "negroes" lived 
there ; the word was not current in that region, and would 
have caused a look of astonishment if it had- been used ; 
a negro was an unknown being; a "nigger" was well 
known. It may reconcile us somewhat to the position and 
feelings of our southern brethren, who know him only by 
the latter term, when we remember that we have held 
them as slaves, bought and sold them, and regarded them 
as an inferior race, not so very many years ago. I have 
found bills of sale of them in the papers of my great- 



Preliminary. 13 

grandfather, Samuel Wadsworth, and advertisements offer- 
ing them for sale, or rewards for their apprehension, may 
be found in the public prints of that time. I have heard 
it said by the women, and am afraid it was not in a spirit 
of humiliation, but rather of boasting, that such and such 
an one of their ancestors had such and such a number of 
slaves. They seem never to have had separate or distinct 
quarters, but lived in the house with their masters, and 
slept, " why, yes, slept on the kitchen floor, or anywhere 
a place could be found." We need not blame our south- 
ern friends too severely, but with them thank our God 
that we are delivered from this most anomalous condition 
in a nation of freemen, so repugnant to all our ideas of 
liberty and to the very first sentence in our Declaration 
of Independence. It may be said that with a great price 
obtained they this freedom, and their descendants may 
reply that now they are free-born. 

When Hezekiah Bull sold to the town of Hartford, 
January 22, 1807, his lot of eleven acres, three roods, 
seven rods, more or less, for the purposes of a Cemetery, 
it was described in the deed as being bounded as follows : 
" East on highway leading from Hartford to Windsor ; 
north on Ephraim Robbins's land ; west on Gurdon Wads- 
worth's land ; south on a pent road lying between said 
piece of land and Archibald Greenfield's land — and all my 
right and title to said pent road which he received from 
Samuel Goodwin, James Goodwin, George Goodwin, and 
others." This deed is dated 17th July, 1795. The pent 
road was originally laid out in 1705, as is shown by an 
agreement between Samuel Goodwin, John Skinner, and 
Daniel Lord, of May 22d of that year: "Know all men, 
etc., that whereas we, Samuel Goodwin, John Skinner, and 
Daniel Lord, having purchased several parcells of land of 
Mr. Cyprian Nicholls, jun., of Hartford . . . finding it 
necessary for the improvement of oiir sd parcells of land 
that there be an open highway laid out by us upon the 
highway leading from Hartford to Windsor through the 



14 Up Neck in 1825. 

southernmost bounds of sd parcells of land belonging- to 
the sd Samuel Goodwin and John Skinner unto the begin- 
ning of the sd Daniel Clark's land . . do mutually 
agree . . to leave out one rod and a half wide of sd 
land on the southernmost bounds of our respective par- 
cells of land." 

This was the origin of "Nigger lane," which was only 
a narrow lane in my boyhood, but was afterwards widened, 
taking for that purpose, I fear, a piece of the cemetery ; 
and has been extended west to the present Vine Street. 

At the western end of this lane, but a little to the 
south of it, was a brick building, without windows, painted 
white, or whitewashed, which was used as a powder-house in 
the war of 181 2. This lane was the only means of access 
to land belonging to G. W. The large lot of eleven acres 
was used by him as a pasture and was quite familiar to 
me ; a smaller one was an apple orchard, with some good 
fruit ; boy-like I knew where the best trees stood, and 
could find the "early apple," as we called it, even if it 
was night. Perhaps you knew of this tree yourself. Mr. 
A. E. B., for you resided on the Albany turnpike within a 
stone's throw or so of it, and doubtless, like most boys, 
had a proper sense of localities. 

This lot of Hezekiah Bull became the Hartford Cem- 
etery, and the present lines are now essentially the same 
as when first opened, excepting upon the north, where one 
or more additions have been made. The first interment 
was that of Mrs. Anne Olcott in 1807, and is found in the 
first road leading to the north, after entering the ceme- 
tery. The inscription is as follows : 

In memory of 

Mks. Anne Olcott, 

consort of 

Mr. Jonathan Olcott, 

who died Feb. 6th, 

A.D. 1S07, 

aged 71 years. 

The first person buried 

in this yard. 



Preliminary. 15 

The stone is about four feet by two, of brown sand- 
stone, and is somewhat worn by exposure. An urn, 
slightly cut in the stone, with a willow drooping over it, 
ornaments the top, and there is a border on the two sides. 

The only other opening to the west, even as far 
north as the town line, was through the present Westland 
Street, formerly called the road to the Bhie Hills, but also 
as Miss Margaret Goodwin says, "Abbe's lane." "Love 
Lane " came in some time afterwards. I think there was 
another name, but cannot remember it. It wound around 
south of the present almshouse, over the hill into the 
Blue Hills district. It was lined with woods on both 
sides for a considerable distance. When driving cows 
from the pasture after sundown, it was passed over as 
rapidly as possible. The possible danger of injury to the 
cows was not considered as of much importance as the 
probable danger to me by delay. If there were no In- 
dians in the woods, we still remembered the stories told 
about them; and then the "painters" were expected to 
jump out upon us from every clump of bushes. 



II. 

WHY THE NECK. 

WHY this region which I am endeavoring- to de- 
scribe as it was in 1825, was called "Up Neck," 
is a very interesting matter of inquiry. If we 
speak of lands "in the Neck," instead of "up Neck," we 
shall use the precise words which are found in the early 
records and deeds of the town. Lying in the north part 
of it, the word "up" instead of "in" came into use as 
commonly applied to localities north of us. 

The term " in the Neck " was early used by the town, 
as is shown by the following : 

" March 24, 1640. 

"It is ordered y* if anie cowes or horse or other catell be found in 
the necke or in the meadow after the 8th of Aprill they shall be liable 
to be pounded," etc. 

" 13th September, 1640, the north sid of the river* being met, 

"It is ordered y l if any person bring out any hoges or piges y* 
are above a month ould out of the meadow or necke the owners of 
these hoges or piges," etc. 

" 6th May, 1641. 

"It is ordered that if any person bringe out any hoggs or piggs 
that are above a month oulde out of the longe meadow or necke of 
land adjoyning to it or out of the little meadow or out of the south 
meadow," etc. 

"At a Side meeting of the north side of the Towne Feb. 27, 1655. 
Ordered by voat that what catle shall be found in the necke or 
meadow with a keeper or without except upon a mans owne land shal 
be liable to pounding and shall pay ther pt for all commoning charges 
of the keeper." 

"one parcell which he received of Mr. Thomas Olcott lying 

in the neck of land contayning by estimation three acres be it more or 



* That is, our Little, or Park river. 



Why the Neck. 17 

less abutting on land now Barth : Barnards on the north on Thomas 
Burnams south on the north meadow lotts east on the common fence 
or Cowe pasture West." — June 28, 1671. 

Mr. Starkweather informs me that in June, 1653, John 
Allen received a " parcel of land of two acres more or 
less, abutting upon the highway leading into the Neck on 
the east " ; and about the same time he received seventeen 
acres "lying in the neck of land," and in 1661 he received 
from Mr. Kelsey another portion "lying in the neck of 
land containing two acres more or less." Probably many 
deeds of a later date may be discovered in which this des- 
ignation is used. It was a part of the town well recog- 
nized, and " Up Neck " was in common use until a late 
date. Mr. Starkweather has handed me the following 
minute : " Town records contain numerous deeds, describ- 
ing land as situated 'in the Neck,' and from a very early 
period ; showing that it was a locality as well known as 
Rocky Hill, or Podunk, or Hockanum in East Hartford. 
Gravel Hill school district, incorporated in 1835, is set off 
from the other district as follows : ' Beginning in the east 
line of the Hartford and Granby turnpike, in the center 
of the road that runs from said turnpike to Hartford 
Neck,' etc.; so it can be seen that the name has found a 
place in the State legislative records ; but I have no idea 
of its origin." 

Mr. Wm. S. Porter, in his "Hartford in 1640," says: 
"The ' Road to the Neck,' and to the 'Soldiers' Field' lay 
on the west side of the North Meadow Creek, and prob- 
ably extended to Windsor. Another ' Road to the Neck,' 
on which Matthew Allyn's house lot lay, extended from 
the bend in Village Street, bearing a little west of north, 
obliquely to and over the hill, which has been entirely 
closed within a few years." 

" In the 'Divisions of the town,' he says, " the ' Soldiers' 
Field,' an appellation given to a tract containing about 
fifteen acres, lay on the west side of the North Meadow 
3 



i8 Up Neck in 1825. 

Creek, about a quarter of a mile north of the N. M. 
bridge." p. 26. 

"Neck extended as at present, from the town to Wind- 
sor, and from the Meadow Swamp to the hills, and 
included about 400 acres. Each proprietor in the Neck 
had two lots, one at the upper, and the other at the 
lower end, as in the North Meadow lots." p. 27. 

" Road to Windsor, at first, either passed through the 
North Meadow, or lay on the bank in the Neck, adjacent 
to the Meadow Swamp. Next, it probably passed up on 
the east side the Neck to the Soldiers' Field, and then 
crossed to the west side on the borders of the upland. 
Afterwards it appears to have run from the northwest 
angle of Village Street, obliquely to and over the hill, to 
the west side of the Neck. It was many years before 
the present road was located."* p. 32. By the "present 
road " I suppose Mr. Porter means the present road to 
Windsor. He was a patient investigator, and his " Map of 
Hartford in 1640" is of great value. Mr. F. H. Parker, 
who some years since read a valuable paper on the 
" Soldiers' Field" before the Connecticut Historical Society, 
says that it contained about twenty-eight acres. 

Let us go down to the foot of Village Street, near 
which lay the lot of Matthew Allyn. Standing here, we 
can picture the direction which the road would naturally 
take to avoid the freshets which made the first road 
"through the Meadow" impassable. "Obliquely to and 
over the hill to the west side of the Neck," would carry 
it in the direction of the freight depot of the Consolidated 
railroad ; then about the foot of Canton Street ; then up 
a rise of ground, through " Patten's Woods " ; and then 
nearly level to the Windsor road. As I remember the lay 
of the land many years since, before it was built upon, 
this was the route which would naturally be taken. It went 
so far north, because some steep ascents were thereby 



See note on p. 23 for ordering highway to Windsor in 1671. 



Why the Neck. 19 

avoided, and there were no sloughs or wet points to be 
crossed. It was just such a line as any settler in a new 
country would take, because it was the most easy and 
accessible. 

I think it came out upon the roadway north, just 
south of the old Alms House, which was a mile from the 
present City Hall. The land all along this east side of 
the street is now covered with buildings, and no accurate 
judgment can be formed by one unacquainted with it, of 
its former topography. But I have a very distinct recol- 
lection of it, and there are some points which indicate 
strongly that this temporary road, as it doubtless was, 
debouched here. The old Alms House was on an eleva- 
tion, but the ground sloped to the south, into an old worn- 
out pasture. From the Windsor road, leading off to the 
southeast, in the direction of Patten's Woods, was still 
visible the outline of an old road, the object of which I 
could not understand, as there never seemed to be a suffi- 
cient reason for it, in the present sterile condition of the 
land. When it approached the elevation on which the old 
Alms House afterwards stood, the indications that it had 
been formerly worked were very evident, for the side of 
the hill had been plowed into, and the earth thrown up 
in the form of a turnpike, with gutters on the side. Every 
one knows that an old and unused roadway soon becomes 
overgrown with grass, and when earth has been moved 
upon an unfertile soil, that this roadway will be covered 
with finer and greener grasses than can be found upon its 
borders. It was not alone the outline of an old road that 
attracted my attention, but the fact that its path was cov- 
ered with white clover and fine grasses, quite green, and 
in marked contrast with the brown and stunted ones 
growing in the pasture. It was evidently an old road 
which had been worked long ago, but for which there 
seemed to be now no sufficient reason. 

It was not until the account of Mr. Porter was read 
lately, that I thought this was a part of the road which 



20 Up Neck in 1825. 

he describes as commencing about at Matthew Allyn's lot, 
and extending obliquely up and over the hill. Premising 
that it is true, that the first road north ran through the 
lowland, and that the inconvenience attending it led the 
settlers to seek higher ground, it is fair to suppose that 
this was the route taken, and that this western termina- 
tion of it was a part used for a few years.* 

The road to Windsor was at first through the mea- 
dow, for at a general court April 5, 1638, there is found 
the following : 

"Whereas there is a desire of o r neighbors of Hartford that there 
may be a publique highway for Carte and horse vppon the upland 
betweene the said Harteford and Windsor as may be convenient, it 
is therefore thought meete that Henry Wolcott the younger and Mr. 
Stephen Terr[e] and Will" 1 Westwood and Nathaniel Ward shall 
consider of a fitting and convenient highway to bee marked and 
sett out, and bridges made over the swamps, and then itt being 
confirmed by the Courte, the inhabitants of Harteford may with 
making a comely and decent stile for foote and fence vpp y vpper 
end of the meadow; this to be done by Mun[day] seaven nights 
vppon penalty of 10 s every default." 

This would imply that there was already a road 
through the meadow, which was to be fenced at its 
upper end, when the one prayed for on the upland 
should be opened. This view is confirmed by an order 
of the General Court of June 11, 1640. 

"That the highway betwixt Hartford and Wyndsor, as yt was 
last sett forth vppon the vpland, shall be made sufficiently passable, 
by ech Towne what lyeth w ll, in their owne bounds, w th in the 
space of on month, and there shall be liberty granted to use the 
highway through the meadowes vntill the said vpland highway be 
so sufficiently mended, for horse and drifte, as yt shall be aproued 
of by Mr. Plum, James Boosy, Henry Wolcotte, and Tho: Scotte, 
and then the highway through the meadowe to cease." 



* Possibly another road led from Matthew Allyn's lot to the upland near the 
present Tunnel, for there was here a depression in the land which has been 
wholly obliterated by the excavation for the railroad, and by filling in of the 
highway. 



Why the Neck. 21 

Thus it will be seen that in April, 1638, there was 
"a desire" for a public highway in the uplands, and 
that a committee was appointed to consider it, and 
that in June, 1640, it was ordered to be made "suffi- 
ciently passable," and liberty was granted to use the 
highway through the meadow until that through the 
upland be "sufficiently mended," when the "highway 
through the meadow should cease." 

In the order of 1638, the upper end of the meadow 
was to be fenced. This was further directed at a meet- 
ing of the townsmen held February 18, 1641, as follows : 

1 ' The fence at the f arder ende of the north meadow is ordered 
after this manner as followeth goodman Church is to fence from 
the great river to the end of that which was John Marshs. 

"Next to him William Phillips is to doe four rods. 

"Next to him Thomas Scot hath 16 rods. 

"Next to him Thomas Halles hath toe rods. 

"From Thomas Hals fence to Thomas Lords fence is all William 
Rescues the which fences meete at the outside of the swampe at 
the north end of the necke lands. 

' ' These five men in consideration of several persls of ground 
which they have received from the towne are to set a good sufi- 
cient fence and them and ther eighrs forever are bound per- 
petually so to maintein it for the defence of the north meadow. 

"It is also ordered at this meeting of this side the day and year 
• abov mentioned that William Rescue shall hau 30 akers of land 
lying at the north end of the cow paster next to Winser line in con- 
sideration of the fence abov mentioned. 

"It is also ordered that Thomas Lord shall hau seven akers 
added to his firder lot in the cow paster in consideration of his fence 
in the necke of land." 

So the fence was made at the north end of the 
meadow for the exclusion of cattle, and safety of the 
crops ; this being done, at a town meeting March 9, 
1 64 1, an agreement was made between the townsmen and 
Mathew Marvin, March 9, 1641, concerning a fence and 
a common gate in the north meadow. He was to have 
a portion of land in consideration of his maintaining said 



22 Up Neck in 1825. 

gate and fence, "and the towne is to be at the charges 
of making of one new gate after this ould one is broke, 
and if any cartor or others shall either brake the gate 
or pule down any of the posts, the same parties are to 
make it good ; also if any children shall be taken swing- 
ing upon the gate by the said Mathew Merrill* he 
shall complayn to ther parents or masters, and if they 
do not restraine them the second time it shall be lawful 
for him to them, and if they brake the 

gate ther parents or masters shall make it good." 

Any one who remembers the great pleasure and com- 
fort which he enjoyed when a child, when swinging upon 
a gate, must feel that our forefathers were rather hard 
upon the children in forbidding them this luxury. Their 
amusements were small enough then, and to curtail them 
further seems cruel to us now, even if they did occasion- 
ally "brake the gate." But the men of that time had 
serious business in hand ; the land was to be cleared, and 
the means of subsistence obtained ; the children must do 
their part in this essential labor, and it was a waste of 
time to spend it in swinging upon a gate. 

These roads to the north, through the Meadow and 
upon the upland, were important matters and not easily 
adjusted ; evidently they were subjects of considerable dis- 
cussion. At a Court of Election, held April 10, 1645, it 
was considered again. 

' ' Whereas there hath bine much dispute about the highwaye be- 
tweene Wyndsor and Hartford, w ch hath bine lately vsed in coming 
through the meadowe of Hartford w th carts & horses, to the annoy- 
ance and p r iudice of the Inhabitants of Hartford that haue lotts in the 
said meadowe. It is therefore thought meete and so Ordered, that the 
high waye, as for carts, catle, and horses, be stopped vppe, and that 
the highwaye betweene the said Wyndsor and Hartford in the vpland 
be well and passably amended & mayntayned for a continuance, by 
Hartford as much as belongs to them and by Wyndsor as much as 
belongs to them ; the said highwaye to be amended by ech p r ty by 
six weeks or two months, vppon the penulty of twenty shillings p r 



* Marvin and Merrill are one and the same person. 



Why the Neck. 23 

weeke for that p r ty that fayles ether in the whole or in p r te, as long 
as it soe lyes not sufficiently repaired and mayntayned ; and at the six 
weeks end or two months end, Mr. Webster and Nat. Waird doe seri- 
ously surueye that p r te w ch belongs to Wyndsor, and that Henry Wool- 
cott the elder and Jo: Porter doe surueye that p r te w ch belongs to 
Hartford, and certifie of the sufficiency of the said highwaye, to the 
next pticuler Court, who are delinquents, and the penulty to be leuyed 
vppon the delinquent p r ty w tb out any fauor affection, both for fayling 
att the tyme aforesaid, as also for future the like penulty vppon the 
p r sentment of the insufficient mayntayneing thereof."* 

The fact that this highway was to be " passably amend- 
ed," indicates that it was not very passable then, and that 
the chief travel had been through the meadow. While it 
may have been ordered, it is quite evident that it had not 
been much worked, and it probably was only such a " wood 
path " as may be found at the present time in the Ten 
Mile woods, or in any of the woods near the city. 

This highwa)^ now came into more common use, and 
doubtless was fenced on both sides ; for there are deeds 
of land lying in the meadow which are described as 
bounded " on the common fence west." But that it was 
not satisfactory is shown by the proceedings at a meeting 
held June 2, 167 1, when "The Towne chose Capt. Tall- 
cott and Mr. Allyn and Mr. Wadsworth and Daniel Prat 
and Bartholomew Barnard as a comitty for the North Side 
of the river to stake oute the highwaye on that side of 
the river as they shall think most meete to be cleered fr 
sheep pasture," &c. 

The next year this committee reported as follows : 

' ' Wee the underwritten doe order that the highway which shall 

lead to Windsor shall run by the common fence & bee seven rodd wide 

and so continue the same breedth tils it come to Windsor bounds. 

This agreed upon p us June 22, 1672. 

" John Talcott, 

" John Allyn, 

" Will Wadsworth, 

" Bartho: Barnard, 

" Daniell Pratt." 

* Col. Records, Vol. i, p. 125. 



24 Up Neck in 1825. 

This highway has been so encroached upon, and nar- 
rowed by various efforts to straighten it, that it is now 
much less in width. It however is pretty well preserved 
above Westland Street and to the Windsor line. A recent 
measurement between the fences at Thomas Gates' gave 
one hundred and ten feet ; another in front of Timothy 
Mather's was ninety-two feet, and this is now a fair average 
width. But the end was not yet, and more legislation 
was necessary, so at 

"A Towne Meeting in Hartford Aprill 16, 1679. It appearing to 
the towne that the highway layd out to Windsor by the common fence 
as it hath been layd out by the committee especially from the towne 
so far as the ditch* above Obadyah Spencer's now dwelling house is 
very inconvenient and will be very chargeable to mayntayne by reason 
of swamps, pulcks f and hoales that lye in the sd highway — which be- 
ing now considered by the towne have nominated and appoynted 
Major John Talcott, Mr. James Steele, Mr. Richards, and Capt. Allyn, 
or any 3 of them to view the sayd highway and to take off so much 
of those lotts as shall be necessary to make the highway good and 
passable and to lay it to the highway from the town to the ditch 
above-mentioned, and to appoynt so much land as they shall judg a 
meet recompence for what they shall take off to be added to the west 
lotts of those whose land they shall take off at the east end of their 
lands out of the common, and what shall be taken off these lotts shall 
remayn to the common forever." 

There is a record of a deed January 3, 1653, of land 
belonging to John Allyn (by gift from his father, 
Matthew Allyn), which is described as follows: "One 
parcell whereon the dwelling house standeth with out- 
houses, gardens, yards, and orchards therein being, con- 
tayn by estimation twelve acres, (more or less,) abutting 
upon the highway leading into the neck of land on the 
west, Nic Clark's land on the south, and Thomas 01- 
cotes land on the north." In Mr. Porter's map of Hart- 



* The ditch was not necessarily a wet ditch, for these were frequently of 
artificial construction, and were intended as marks or boundaries, and not for 
the purpose of drainage. 

t Pulcks — a puddle or shallow pool. 
Pulk or Polk — Norfolkshire. Wright's Diet. Archaic Words. 



Why the Neck. 25 

ford in 1640, Nicholas Clark had land on the south of 
Matthew Allyn, which it appears he still owned in 
1653, and the highway which is described as bounding 
Mr. Allyn on the west, can only be the one which we 
have mentioned, as "leading up obliquely and over the 
hill to the west side of the Neck." No other road will 
satisfy the descriptions and the language of the deeds. 

There are several other deeds of land belonging to 
John Allyn, lying in the Neck, one of them "abutting 
upon the Great River in the East, and on the Neck of 
land on the West." One parcel lying in the Cow 
pasture, bounded "on the little ox pasture on the west, 
and on the Neck of land on the east." This would 
indicate that the Neck was considered as land lying 
east of the present road to Windsor. Another "parcell 
lying in the neck of land abutting upon the swamp 
belonging to the North Meadow on the East." 

At the General Assembly held in May, 17 19, the 
Court approved of a dividing line between Hartford 
and Windsor, as "run and measured" "by James Wads- 
worth, Esq., Mr. John Hooker, and Mr. Elisha Williams 
on the east side of the 'great river'; and also on the 
west side said river, to run according to the line of 
ditches, beginning at a bound stone standing at the 
place where the red oak tree mentioned in Windsor 
patent, that stood in Thomas Butler's land in the Neck, 
to Brick Hill swamp, to a walnut stub and ditch by it, 
then north half a mile to a heap of stones," etc. This 
shows that the Neck extended to the Windsor line. 

I judge from the extracts which have been quoted, — 
and they might be much extended, — -that there were 
four sections of well designated land extending from 
the North Meadow bridge and Matthew Allyn's house 
lot towards and to Windsor. First, the Meadow, with 
the river on the east ; second, the Sivanip, on the west 
of this, which was at a lower level than the meadow ; 
3 



26 Up Neck in 1825. 

third, the Soldiers' Field, west of the swamp, extending 
from a quarter to half a mile from the bridge ; and 
fourth, the Neck lying between the Soldiers' Field and 
the road to Windsor, as far as the Field extended ; and 
between the swamp and the road beyond it. 

In showing further that the term "in the Neck" 
was in early use, I quote from the records of the 
General Court August 5, 1644. "Forasmuch as there 
are certain parcells of meadow adjoining to the skirts 
of ye upland in severall parts of ye neck, which belong 
to sundry planters in the town, and thatt meadow can- 
not be improved to the best advantage to the owners 
without being inclosed, the Neck being now layd for a 
pasture of cattell, it was ordered," &c. 

This enables us to determine, as definitely perhaps 
as we can, the location of the "Neck." It was a strip 
of land, from half to a quarter of a mile in breadth, 
and of pretty clearly ascertained length. Mr. Porter thinks 
it extended to Windsor, and that it contained four 
hundred acres. 

Let us consider the topography of this strip. It lay 
west of the swamp, in which the waters of the spring 
freshets lay for a long time, as they have within our 
remembrance. Covered with wood and uncultivated, 
this land was not passable the greater part of the 
summer, breeding myriads of mosquitoes. Rising grad- 
ually from this swamp, we come to the hills, which 
soon bring us to the Windsor road. This elevated up- 
land is more marked in the southern than the upper 
portion, though it is evident through the whole tract. 

Why was it called the " Neck " ? There is nothing 
in its configuration which would lead us to apply such 
a term, but it was a designation as common as the 
meadow, the swamp, the cow-pasture, the soldiers' field, 
etc. ; everyone knew where it lay. It may have been 
an arbitrary term ; it may have been in use, perhaps, 
in England, applied to similar strips of land, composed 




Why the Neck. 27 

of upland and lowland ; it cannot be compared to the 
neck of land in Boston, nor to a similar one at Say- 
brook, which are portions of land nearly surrounded by 
water, with a narrow isthmus. Charles Wesley's hymn 
describes this, 

"Lo! on a narrow neck of land, 
'Twixt two unbounded seas I stand." 

Whatever water there is here, however, is only on 
one side of it. 

Perhaps if I had turned to Noah Webster, there would 
have been found a definition of the word which would 
have been satisfactory and saved me much research and 
speculation. He thus defines "Neck" as "a long, nar- 
row tract of land projecting from the main body, or a 
narrow tract connecting two narrow tracts ; as the neck 
of land between Boston and Roxbury." 

"Neck-land, a neck, or long tract of land." 

This answers to our case : " A long, narrow tract 
of land" — "neck-land" — then "land in the neck"; then 
"Up Neck"; and this ought to be and must be a 
satisfactory response to the question, "Why was this 
portion of the town ever called 'Up Neck'?"* 

The early settlers in New Haven used this same 
term. In the Colonial Records various lands are de- 
scribed as "lyeing in the Neck." This was between the 
Quinnipiac and Mill Rivers ; the greater part, however, 
is mentioned as being meadow land, and then there 
would seem to be land mentioned specifically as being 
"in the Neck." Dr. Francis Bacon thinks this was on 
the west side of the meadow, rising gradually into the 
uplands, and would correspond to the topography of 
our own "Neck." The location there is well known. 



* Mr. Darius S. Skinner, of Putnam, writes to the editor of the Times, that 
he formerly resided for many years in Providence, R. I. In examining- deeds 
of some property belonging to his ancestors, he finds "a part of Providence 
town, lying between that town and Pawtucket ; highlands to the east of See- 
konk river were then described as Providence Neck, and those wlio^e residence 
was farther north, or nearest Pawtucket, were living Up Neck." 



28 Up Neck in 1825. 

"State Street," he says, "in which is the Neck bridge, 
used to be called, at least the eastern end of it, Neck 
lane, and it figured by that name in the old maps." 

Noah Webster obtained the definition of neck and 
neck-land right at his own doors.* 



* Extract from the New Haven Colonial Records : 

"Jan. 4, 1639, at a General Court, Itt was agreed that every planter shall 
have a portion of land, &c. * * * and in the neck an acre to every 
hundred pounds." p. 27, Vol. 1. 

April 3, 1640. "Itt is ordered thatt the gates att the end of the neck bridge 
and the way to it be made convenient forthwith." p. 32. 

August 23, 1640. " It is ordered that Mr. James shall have his meadow lott 
att the lower end of the Neck," &c. p. 43. 

"Itt is ordered thatt the causeway to the neck shall be made forthwith." 
p. 44. 

Jan. 10, 1641. "Itt is ordered that after 2 yeares next ensueing be expired, 
the neck shall be layd for pasture, and thatt all who plant or sow corne therein 
in the mean time shall secure itt themselves, whether there or elsewhere, 
everyone are to secure their owne corne, provided yt none doe wilfully or 
negligently trespasse wth their cattell, and it is further ordered thatt after 
this yeare none shall plant Indian corne in the neck, butt onely sow itt wth 
English." p. 48. 

March, 1641. " Itt is ordered thatt every quarter thatt would fence their 
land in the Neck, they may haue liberty so to doe, provided thatt they doe 
itt att their owne charge, and leave out the springs for the cattle to drink at 
whensoever any fall wthin the bounds of the neck." p. 52. 



III. 

THE TOMLIN. 

|~n HE old people used to speak of a certain place as 
J i, being- " up in the Tomlin " ; and a few yet living 
_ know of the locality. As near as can be ascertained, 
it was the low ground on the east of the Windsor road, 
just south of, or near to, the second mile stone. Although 
inquiries have often been made, yet nothing very definite 
had been learned of its origin. Miss Goodwin remembers it 
perfectly, and thinks it was so called from a man of that 
name, or Tombolin, who at one time lived thereabout. It 
may be so, for the men of early days had a way of contract- 
ing or mispronouncing names, which was rather • puzzling 
to one not acquainted with them. Wm. S. Porter, in his 
list of settlers in Hartford, between 1640 and 1700, gives 
the name of Thomas Tomlinson, which first appears in 
the record in 1665, and places his residence "in the Neck," 
which very likely was in this particular locality, and would 
thus account for the designation. 

Since writing the above, an examination of the town 
records shows that there was belonging to Thomas Tom- 
linson, Sept. 8, 1673, "One parcell which he received of 
Samuel Robinson containing the breadth of Nathaniel 
Standleys lot lyeing in the neck of land which he sold the 
said Robbins, and from the common fence to run the 
whole bredth towards the east full thirteen rod — the land 
abutts on the common fence West — on Wm. Callseys 
(Kelsey) land North and on land now Samuel Robbins 
south and on the East." 



3<o Up Neck. in 1825. 

Also, " one parcell which he received of Samuel Rob- 
bins lyeing in the neck of land it being- fower rodds wide 
and thirteen rodd long- abutting on the common fence 
west and on Stephen Callsey's land on the North, and the 
sd Robbins same land on the South and East." 

Also, March 14, 1675-6, "one parcell of land which he 
received of Thos. Cadwell lyeing in the neck of land con- 
taining by estimation five acres and twenty fower rod be 
it more or less, abutting on the common fence on the 
West, and in Wm. Westwoods land on the north, and 
Bartholomew Barnards land on the South and on the long 
meadow swamp on the east. He the sayd Thomas Tom- 
lins and his heirs forever engaging to mayntayn the fence 
on the West end of the sayd land," etc. 

In these deeds Robinson appears to have been written 
indiscriminately Robertson and Robbins ; and Tomlinson, 
Tomlins. The transition to Tomlin is very easy and 
natural. 

Miss Goodwin says this has been commonly repeated 
in the neighborhood : 

" Tombolin and his wife and his wife's mother, 
Were all going over a bridge together ; 
The bridge having broken they all fell in, 
' We are going to the devil,' cried Tombolin." 

This was in allusion doubtless to some occurrence in 
the life of Mr. Tomlin and his family, and makes us 
anxious to know more about him. Where was the bridge, 
what was the occasion of his crossing it, and did the un- 
happy exclamation prove true ; did he say this in refer- 
ence to his family, or knowing himself better than others 
knew him, did it belong to him alone ? He may be ex- 
cused if in the excitement of the moment he spoke col- 
lectively, and said " we," when if he had time for delibera- 
tion he would only have referred to himself. It is in 
strikine contrast to the last words of some who attain 



The Tomlin. 31 

much eminence, who, before they are swung off, are very 
sure they are going directly to heaven.* 



* Dr. Trumbull sends me the following interesting- and valuable note : 
My Dear Dr. Russell : 

It just now occurs to me that, before you put it in more permanent shape, 
and in full — you may care to have a note on "Tomlin's" or "Tomlinson's " lot, 
or rather on the rhymes said to have been repeated in his neighborhood, in allu- 
sion to him. 

"Tombolin" is, I suspect, a modern corruption of the original "Tommy Linn" 
or, earlier, "Thorn of Lyn." "Tombolin" was the subject of one of the best- 
known sea songs of Charles Dibdin, who was born more than half a century 
after Thomas Tomlin (or Tomlinson), of Up Neck, died. Fifty years ago there 
was not a sailor in the British or American navy who didn't know the song, 

" Here, a sheer hulk, lies poor Tom Bowling, 
The darling of our crew!" 

But the song from which the. verse you quote was taken, is, in some of its 
forms, at least a hundred years older than Hartford, and "Tommy Linn's" name 
could be made to stand for Thomas Tomlinson's with less violence than could 
Tom Bowling's. The shape in which this verse came to me, more than fifty 
years ago, was as follows : 

" Tommy Linn, his wife, and his wife's mother, 
They all fell into the fire together ; 
'Oh,' said the topmost, 'I've got a hot skin!' 
'It's hotter below,' says Tommy Linn." 

This is the sixth verse of the song of "Tommy Linn," as given in Halliwell's 
"Popular Rhymes" (1849); but I have heard the variation, as given by Miss 
Goodwin, in nearly the same words — in my school-boy days. In fact (as Mr. 
Halliwell remarks) "an immense variety of songs and catches relating to Tommy 
Linn are known throughout Great Britain," and the air of "Thom of Lyn" was 
known at least as early as 1549. 

Now "Tommy Lin's" self, wife, and mother-in-law, might easily slide into 
"Tomlin's" or "Tomlinson's," his wife, and wife's mother; but "Tombolin's" 
or, as a sailor would write (though not pronounce) it, Tom Bowline's, would not 
only mar the verse, but would transfer the scene from land to sea. 

As to the Thomas Tomlins (or Tomlinson) in question, I only know that he 
was in Hartford in 1655, and died here in 1685, leaving seven daughters, and so 
far as can be ascertained, no son. Yours sincerely, 

J. Hammond Trumbull. 

Since the above was written I have found among Miss Goodwin's papers a 
survey of land which belonged tc her father lying in the Neck, bounded on the 
west by the highway to Windsor, and running east into the swamp. The survey 
was evidently made long ago, and is marked "Tomlin Lott," and a portion of it 
now belongs to Miss G. A section of the lot was re-surveyed by Nathaniel Good- 
win, and there is found in one corner of the map this endorsement : " Calculated 
from this survey, April 30, 1829, by N. Goodwin, and found to contain five acres 
thirty-nine rods." The land lies south of the residence of Charles Mather, where 
tradition has always placed it; so that it seems sufficiently established that the 
name was derived from a former owner, Thomas Tomlinson, or Tomlins. 

Mr. H. G. Loomis has called my attention to several other lots in this imme- 
diate vicinity, surveyed by Capt. Aaron Cook many years since, and re-surveyed 
by Nathaniel Goodwin. He thinks that one of them lay west of the Windsor 
road, and may have extended nearly or quite to the present town farm. 



3 2 



Up Neck in 1825. 



Opposite this locality was the " Pool lot" used chiefly 
for pasturage. Its name came from a spring in a small 
ravine, which was supposed to possess medicinal qualities. 
It was visited by many who had faith in its virtues, espe- 
cially for some diseases of the skin, as the popular idea is 
that this numerous class are all resolved into two, viz., 
" itch " and " salt rheum,"" and as no one is ever willing 
to acknowledge that he has the itch, there remains only 
the latter, which is very comprehensive and also very in- 
definite. It was not disagreeably unpleasant to the taste, 
being slightly impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen, 
and was qualified then and afterwards by some other 
liquid, which was supposed to increase its 'hygienic prop- 
erties. It compared very favorably with the spring or 
well of Jonathan Hartshorn, on Asylum Street, whose 
water much resembled it in taste. 



IV. 
THE EAST SIDE. 

ET us consider the occupants of the Neck, beginning 
at the south, on the east side. The first house was 
of wood, painted white, owned by Nathaniel Goodwin, 
and occupied by Judge John T. Peters. He was a man of 
some prominence, a native of Hebron, and a cousin of 
Governor John S. Peters. The changes in politics about 
the time of the adoption of the Constitution, brought him 
to notice, and enabled the Republicans to place one of 
their number upon the bench. It was commonly reported 
that he was hard upon criminals brought before him, and 
that he endeavored to administer justice to them as the 
law allowed, and as he understood it. Upon one occasion, 
being asked how long such an one had to serve in prison, 
he replied, " Let me see, did he come before me ? If he 
did, he was sentenced for as long a time as the law 
would allow." His barn was fired some years after this, 
as was supposed, by one who had felt his heavy hand. 
He was pleasant and kindly affectioned, and by no means 
as austere as might be supposed from the above incident, 
but he had very decided ideas about justice and the 
proper bestowal of deserts. He died in 1834. 

His mind began to fail before the limit of his time 
of service had expired, and he would fall asleep -upon the 
bench. On one occasion, when Mr. Hungerford was argu- 
ing a case before him he suddenly awoke, and rubbing 
his eyes, said : " The learned counsel must instruct the 
Court on that point." The opportunity was too good to 
be lost, and so with that peculiar working of the muscles 
4 



34 Up Neck in 1825. 

of his face for which Mr. Hungerford was noted, he 
replied : " Your Honor is not aware how difficult a task 
he imposes upon us." 

The house is still standing - , and was for a long time 
occupied by D. S. Brooks. There were no pavements 
then, and the pathway was narrow. South of the house 
was a large three-thorned locust tree, whose autumnal 
pods were frequently gathered by the children, and called 
"tamarinds." South of this, but outside of the foot-path, 
was another large tree, an elm, which encroached upon 
it, and caused frequent stumbling from the roots which 
projected above ground. 

A short distance above this was the store-house of 
Thomas Belden. The building is still standing, and has 
been occupied by several families for many years past. 

Next was the shop of Leonard Kennedy, where joiners' 
tools were made, and quite a business was carried on. 
James Anderson, Melville Copeland, and I think Daniel, 
his brother, were among the workmen. 

Next was the house of Benjamin Pratt, farmer, which 
was some distance back from the street. This had been 
previously occupied by James Goodwin, a hatter, and a 
very respected citizen ; he was the father of the late 
James M. and Erastus Goodwin, and removed to East 
Hartford, where he died. 

Then came the rope-walk of Joseph Sheldon. This was 
always a favorite place for boys to congregate, and for 
men also, and was as convenient as a country store on a 
rainy day. Hugh Waterman was one of the workmen, 
and the assistance of the boys was often utilized in turn- 
ing the big wheel while Hugh was spinning the yarn. 
It was considered as enjoyable and rather in the nature 
of play, and not of work ; there was a tarry odor about 
the place which was gratifying. This occupied the pres- 
ent Kennedy Street. 

Very near to the rope-walk was the dwelling house 
of Leonard Kennedy, then advanced in life, very quiet in 



The East Side. 35 

his manner, a Universalist, amiable, and liked by every 
one. He was very venerable in his appearance, and so 
even-tempered that I never knew or heard that he was 
angry. As money was not very plenty in those days, 
merchants, mechanics, and others needing it were accus- 
tomed to borrow from one another. If a note or bill was 
to be paid, and the cash was not in hand, then the 
anxious debtor would start out to borrow from his 
friends, a few dollars here and a few dollars there, not 
unfrequently going to a dozen places in a day. As the 
money was loaned only for a short time, it became neces- 
sary to borrow elsewhere, if enough had not been col- 
lected, and so the borrowing went on week after week, 
and year after year ; the accommodation was friendly and 
the debt regarded as so honorable that failure to pay 
rarely occurred. 

Mr. Kennedy was a borrower ; though prudent and 
economical, yet ready money was not always in hand 
when needed ; accounts ran a long time before being 
settled. That pernicious system of not paying as you 
buy, was of common occurrence. " Charge this to me," 
was the usual saying, and the bill might be paid at the end 
of the year ; the first of January was the general time for 
settlement, but the period was often prolonged. He was 
accustomed to say that when he applied to Nathaniel 
Goodwin he was always pleasantly received, though he 
never obtained a loan ; but he went away feeling better 
than he did when accommodated by his brother James, 
for he was always harassing him for payment quickly. 

On his way down town he was accustomed to call at 
several stores to look at the newspaper, and to chat in 
friendly acquaintance ; he was so quiet, even-tempered, 
and undemonstrative, that he was always kindly welcomed. 
His old iron-gray horse had so learned his ways that he 
stopped willingly at every familiar place, and could always 
be found where he was left ; the gentle spirit of the mas- 
ter had thoroughly permeated the beast. Nat Eggleston's 



36 Up Neck in 1825. 

store, and especially that of Samuel Tuttle, were the prin- 
cipal ones visited, and James Burr was a sympathetic com- 
panion. Both had arrived at that time of life when the 
desire for active labor had passed, and when the grass- 
hopper was almost a burden. These places were a com- 
mon resort for men of leisure, to while away an hour in 
pleasant chat and harmless gossip. One day they were at 
Eggleston's talking about matters which had occurred forty 
years before. A young man who was passing heard one 
of them say, " And what will there be forty years hence, 
and where shall we be?" It was spoken with so much of 
emphasis, and with so solemn a look, that he remembers 
it to this day. Neither of them, nor any one for many 
years afterwards, had any conception of the great discov- 
eries of our time. Having endeavored to live a virtuous 
life, they accepted with the blessed resignation which be- 
longs to old age, the results in the wondrous future. 

These little assemblages were probably quite as inno- 
cent as our modern clubs, and certainly much less expen- 
sive. They interfered little with the sale of goods, for the 
proprietors attended to their own business, and "left the 
company to take care of themselves. If it was a stormy 
day, or the sales were not frequent, they might listen to 
the stories, or tell one themselves ; but they were under 
no obligation to join with the circle, nor was it considered 
uncivil if they attended strictly to their own affairs. 
" Well, I will go down to Tuttle's," said James Burr, 
"they must have the New York papers by this time." 
Though one was a Federalist and the other a Republican, 
and both were positive in their views, they allowed no 
differences of opinion to separate them. The wonderful 
political revolution of some years previous had resulted in 
more liberal feelings, and "Toleration," which had been a 
prominent battle-cry, had produced its legitimate results. 
There was more enterprise in the town, new buildings 
were being erected, and business was increasing. The 
general consensus of opinion was, that there had been too 



The East Side. 37 

much of political intolerance, and too much of religious 
bigotry. It was a long time in dying out with some, how- 
ever, who are always mindful of the past, and neglectful 
of the present. " Let me get a clip at him," said General 
Terry to Alfred Smith and Joseph Trumbull, at a town 
meeting, a dozen years later, after John M. Niles had 
spoken; "let me get a clip at him;" and no bloodhound 
could have been more fierce or confident. Neither of 
them could restrain the haughty old man, and after he 
had his say, he turned to them with a triumphant air, as 
if he had said, "There, I have fixed that fellow." But 
Mr. Niles would not stay fixed, and though he doubtless 
fully reciprocated the feelings of Mr. Terry, yet he had 
none of his impetuous spirit, and a much better command 
of his temper. And he had also those other qualifications, 
in a great knowledge of facts and power of logical rea- 
soning, and practical acquaintance with the affairs of life, 
which are sure in the long run to bring its possessor both 
confidence and respect. No two men could be in greater 
contrast than these : the one, elegant in his manners, 
affable, polite, generous to a fault, autocratic, the repre- 
sentative of a federalism which was nearly dead. The 
other plain, undemonstrative, awkward, without the polish 
which comes from intercourse with what is called " good 
society," possibly with somewhat of the bitterness which 
comes from continual opposition ; but with a thorough ac- 
quaintance with the politics of the country, and the prin- 
ciples of our government ; a learning which had been ac- 
quired by hard study and under unfavorable circumstances, 
and a sturdy defender of the Democracy now beginning to 
be felt in the State. He was never what is called a 
popular speaker, but my father said of him, " He has got 
a head." 

Separated from Leonard Kennedy by a narrow alley 
only, was the house of Joseph Sheldon, the ropemaker. He 
is well remembered by our citizens, for he was a man of 
strong personality, and quite as much feared as he was 



38 Up Neck in 1825. 

liked. It is reported of him that he enjoyed calling- upon 
persons with subscription papers, for said he, " I like to 
see them squirm."* Moses Burr had been the previous 
occupant. 

Only a few feet distant lived John H. Lord, a descend- 
ant of the early settlers. When I knew him he was tall, 
thin, and in poor health ; a mild, inoffensive man, who 
attended to his own little business and let others alone ; 
which, when rightfully considered, means a great deal. 
He owned a narrow strip of land, not much wider than 
his house lot, which extended to the swamp. He had 
been a trader in Burr Street, I have heard, and was now 
living in a very prudent way upon a small income, and 
what could be produced from his land. A small addition 
of one story had been built upon the south side of his 
house ; the entrance door was opened occasionally, and re- 
vealed a miscellaneous collection of articles which would 
have delighted the heart of a dealer in junk ; old account 
books, scraps of iron, broken tools, and apparently the 
relics of several generations of Lords. An only daughter 
married a Mr. Maxon, who was toll-gatherer at the bridge, 
but who was more fond of hunting than strict attention to 
business. He removed to Mississippi, where it is under- 
stood his talent found full gratification. A son had pre- 
viously removed to Buffalo. 

Living next to Mr. Lord was Gurdon Wadsworth, a 
farmer, and lineal descendant from William Wadsworth, 
one of the company who came here with Mr. Hooker. 



*I am told that on one occasion he was soliciting aid for some object, and 
made his plea to several persons who were in Mr. Tuttle's store. Major Isliam 
was among them and did not respond, so Mr. S., feeling that this was a case in 
which he greatly rejoiced, specially addressed him; but the Major, who was irri- 
tated, cried out "I won't hear you." "I swear you shall," said Joseph. Now it 
so happened that the Major was in a corner, surrounded by barrels, boxes, and 
bags, and could only escape through a narrow passage which was occupied by 
the stalwart Joseph, who was not to be pushed aside. "I swear you shall," said 
he to his helpless prisoner, and then he opened upon him all his batteries of sar- 
casm and imprecation— and they were heavy ones — and for ten minutes probably 
had more real enjoyment, in his way, and of its kind, than would satisfy most 
persons for a lifetime. When he had finished, the Major was allowed to depart. 



The East Side. 39 

His father, Samuel Wadsworth, resided near the north 
corner of the present Asylum Street, was a farmer, sea- 
captain, and for some time also kept a tavern there. I 
suppose his son resided there after his father's death in 
1798, and until he bought the place where he lived at 
the time of his death in 1826. A few years of my 
early boyhood were passed there, and are remembered 
even now with exceeding pleasure. I am not writing 
an autobiography, but necessarily must say something 
about myself, for it concerns the life and manners of 
the people of the time ; and many of the incidents and 
recollections are just such as might have belonged to 
most of the boys of the neighborhood. Though living 
so near to the city that the habits of the people were 
modified considerably by its proximity, yet many of the 
old habits and feelings still remained. It is hardly 
possible for the present generation to understand how 
primitive they were. Not a few of them had traditions 
which extended backward for many years, when the 
population of the town was small, and its outskirts were 
thinly settled. My grandfather was born in 1748 ; his 
father Samuel in 1 7 16 ; his father Jonathan in 1686; 
and his father Joseph, son of the first settler, in 1648. 
Now, as Joseph died in 1730, my great-grandfather must 
have known and talked with him, being then fourteen 
years of age. So that it was almost as if the very 
early history of the colony, with its troubles and hard- 
ships, its traditions and peculiarities, its remembrances of 
families, its stories about Indians, always "great Indians, 
six feet or more in height," its firm belief in ghosts and 
witches, in signs and superstitions of various kinds, were 
then presented to us living in Hartford in 1825. 

I think our tribe were accustomed to think and act 
for themselves, as much as those who lived around 
them, and were probably as incredulous as any of their 
neighbors. But the belief in the marvelous, and the 
things unknown but suspected, has come down to us 



40 Up Neck in 1825. 

through hundreds of generations, with a strength too 
great to be put aside by many, even of our own time. 
A full share of it fell to me from Rufus Watrous, our 
hired man. Such stories as he told me about witches, 
Indians who were cruel, "painters,"* who were ferocious, 
hobgoblins and "jack o' lanterns," were enough to 
frighten any little boy, to say nothing of some of 
larger growth. "And what is a jack o' lantern, Rufus?" 
"It is a witch with a light, which will hurt you; don't 
ever follow it Gurdon, it will always get you in 
trouble." "Did you ever see one, Rufus?" "Yes, once, 
it came across the road, just above Jerry Graves's, and 
went down east into the swamp. I watched it." "Why 
didn't you follow it, Rufus ? " " Because it would have 
led me into the mud and water, and into the river, 
and I should have been ' drowned." His perfect faith 
in other like superstitions was equally strong. Is it a 
wonder that such early impressions have often lasted 
until manhood, and even then are recollected with some- 
thing of fear, if not believed in ? Such a dogmatic and 
strong-minded old man as Dr. Johnson would tread the 
pavements of London for years and be careful never 
to step upon the cracks. 

The old kitchen was long to be remembered, with 
its monster fire-place and enormous logs, so large some- 
times that they were rolled in with " handspikes " ; its old 
"settle," with its box under the seat filled with odds 
and ends and curiosities wonderful for the investigation 
of a boy ; its old furniture, which would make some 
women happy now, and perhaps a few men ; and strings 
of dried pumpkin, and apples, and sausages after hog- 
killing time. It is a homely picture, but was a home of 
enjoyment and contentment which many might wish for 
now. On special occasions, a compound of home-brewed 
beer, and nutmeg, and sugar, and probably rum from 



* Panther or Cougar, Felfs concolor; at the early settlement of New England not 
uncommon, but long since disappeared. 



The East Side. 41 

the West Indies, was made, and rendered more pala- 
table by the use of a flip iron ; if this was not handy, 
the end of a fire dog was equally efficient, and always 
ready for use. In the long winter nights, before it was 
time for me to be put to bed, the settle being drawn 
before the door to keep off the draught, and the fire 
burning brightly, I listened wonderingly, seated on 
grandfather's knee, to story after story, about early 
times and the Revolution, and bears and wolves, and 
whatever would occur to him that would interest the 
infant mind. One was no sooner ended than he was 
entreated to "tell another," and so it went on, until 
he became tired, or I was called away. 

And I remember, too, when I had grown older, and 
he, tired and wearied with work, had gone to bed in 
an adjacent room, and saying his prayers aloud, I had 
been reproved by an indulgent aunt, for some thought- 
less talk, doubtless of a thoughtless boy. And I remem- 
ber it too with more pleasure now, for he had not 
always been a decidedly religious man, and had not come 
to the acknowledgment of divine obligations until old 
age was near. He was one of the early Methodists of 
the. town, and had been "converted" under Mafht, who 
was a noted preacher and revivalist of his time, and 
who was often at the house with presiding elder, cir- 
cuit riders, and other preachers. There is no reason to 
suppose but that he continued in the faith, though some 
expressions might occasionally drop out which indicated 
earlier habits. But, good man, he meant no harm, and 
will be judged by the intents of his heart. There 
were some words which he would use to a lazy boy in 
his employ, which were not understood by me, but 
naturally were remembered, which he rattled off when 
provoked, with a peculiar motion of the arm, and pro- 
longed trill upon the first syllable. 

So one day 1 tried it upon the same subject. He 
6 



42 Up Neck in 1825. 

being near at fcand, heard my feeble imitation, and 
was doubtless self-reproved, and chided me. "What, 
what is that, Gurdon, you must n't say that." Of course 
the impropriety was not apparent to me, and I never 
could imagine what "w-h-u-sbud" stood for, until some 
years after, when reading Tom Jones and Roderick 
Random, which my aunt said I ought not to read. 

Mr. Maffit was a wonderful man, and possessed quite 
an influence here at one time. He was an Irishman, of 
fine appearance, really handsome, very fluent, and by some 
would be called eloquent ; the women liked him. His 
imagination was lively, quite lively, it may be said ; a 
small fissure in the lip was no disfigurement, but gave 
his words a slight lisp, which rather added to their im- 
pressiveness than detracted from their effect. The sen- 
tences came forth with so much rapidity, and with so 
much ease, that one could not refrain from listening. His 
exhortations and appeals to the sinner were sharp and 
direct, arousing the sympathy and enforcing the convic- 
tion. His language was beautiful, for the terrors of the 
law even were clothed with words so delicate and sweet 
that no one could be prejudiced by their harshness. The 
gift of oratory he certainly possessed, and used it with a 
force and delicacy which were in marked contrast with 
many of his brethren. He was exceedingly tender and 
pleasant in his intercourse, and swayed the people, for the 
moment, as no other man did. These opinions are formed 
more from what I saw and knew of him some years after- 
ward, when the judgment of the young man was better 
than that of the boy. There lingered in my mind, how- 
ever, a certain distrust which I would not listen to, and a 
fear of heartfelt sincerity in his labors which I endeavored 
to put away. He aroused the attention of all by his 
actions, by his burning words, and by his beautiful figures 
drawn from a mind highly imaginative. The thoughts of 
the prophet Jeremiah might be there, but the words were 
the words of the Song of Solomon. While he was earnest 



The Easi Side. 43 

in his pleadings, there was a certain apparent calmr 
about him, which was denied by his utterances, and by all 
his surroundings. But there remained in the mind a faint 
suspicion, which was checked as soon as it arose, that all 
this fervor, and these glowing- words, and brilliant sen- 
tences, might be mechanical, and the delight of a man who 
was well pleased with himself. I say "a suspicion " which 
ought not to have been mentioned at all, because it was 
only one of a thousand thoughts which will force them- 
selves into the mind of a young man, without reason to 
form or sound judgment to confirm them. My impression 
is that he did not sustain the early promise which was 
made of him.* 

The Methodists held their meetings for some time in 
the old State House, which had been removed to Church 
Street. They built a meeting-house on the corner 
Trumbull and Chapel Streets, in 1820, and moved into it 
before it was completed. It was of the plainest construc- 
tion, but was as dear to their hearts as the houses of 
religious worship were to our first settlers. They were 
poor in purse, but rich in spiritual devotion. Each one 
contributed of his little means, and so the building went 
on, brick by brick, and timber by timber, they rejoicing 



* Since writing- the above, I have read the following from the HU* 
American Methodism bytl '.L.D.: "John X. Maffit, an Irish- 

man, joined the itinerancy in 1822, and for some thirty one of the most 

extraordinary and anomalous pulpit orators of the nation. As an elocutionist he 
may be said to have been perfect in voice, and gesture unrivaled. To the last, 
his arrival in any city produced a general sensation ; and no preacher, not even 
Summerfield or Bascom, attracted larger multitudes. His style was Osseanic ; 
agant to be real, but sustained by his elocution, seemed natural, and 

*.-ven fascinating in the desk, and his discourses were always wonderfully 
effective. He was eccentric, simple, and indiscreet as a child ; ' a para 
one of his brethren, 'of goodness, greatness, and weakness. - The Spartan-like 
severity of the elder ministry was perplexed with wonder and doubt before his 
singularit: . 1 men could not question his usefulness, and they re- 

luctantly tolerated his Hibernian peculiarities, and received through his labors 
thou- He drew them in great penitent 

crowds to the altars for prayers and religious counsels, and v. -here 

successful A cloud came over his eccentric career at 

Checked in the northern church, he found refuge in the southern, and died in 

!e, mourned by many, impeached by not a few, but the wonder if no: 
admiration of ali." ;.; 



44 Up Neck in 1825. 

as did the Jews at the rebuilding of their temple. The 
picture comes before me now as a reality ; the two doors 
on the east end, the pulpit between them on the inside, 
the floor rising gradually to the west, the long slips, and 
all the woodwork unpainted, the shavings of the carpen- 
ters even as they left them, hanging from the unfinished 
gallery, the walls unplastered, and the whole house open 
to the roof, with its rough rafters, its timbers and braces, 
all exposed to view. This particular stick was pointed 
out to me as having been given by Strong Mather ; that 
large one, of oak, by my grandfather ; and so on over the 
whole building. They were the joyful contribution of 
humble and devout men, and we boys took pride in the 
contributions of our families. 

For a time the men were seated on one side and the 
women on the other. The dress of all was plain ; it was 
a religious duty to put off all gay apparel ; the bright 
colors were discarded and the sombre black or dull gray 
were worn as only consonant with their Christian profes- 
sion. Some of the men wore shad-bellied coats, without 
collars, and many of the women wore bonnets which con- 
cealed the face and were like those of Quakers. If they 
should go into the churches of our day, they would be 
cut to the heart right speedily. 

The noisy demonstrations of a prayer-meeting in the 
evening, or at the time of a revival, very naturally pro- 
voked a disturbance on the outside, of men and boys of 
the " baser sort " ; and the impudent tramping in and out 
of thoughtless people of both sexes, during service, was 
an annoyance which often led to attempts to arrest it. On 
the outside, in front, might be found a howling mob, 
very like that which is gathered by the Salvation Army. 
On one of these occasions, it is reported that G. W. went 
out with the intention of stopping the noise and driving 
away the crowd. Mr. M afrit, finding that he did not re- 
turn, followed him, and, seeing the fruitlessness of the 
attempt, said : " Brother Wadsworth, let us go in and 






The East Side. 45 

pray for them." So -undemonstrative an action did not 
suit my grandfather, and he replied : " Brother Maffit, do 
you go in and pray for them, while I stay here and flog 
the rascals ! " My authority states that he prefaced " ras- 
cals " with an emphatic adjective commencing with d. As 
I was not there, it cannot be vouched for by me, but it 
is possible that an old habit had recurred for this once, 
under great provocation. 

" Where have you been ? " said Robert Turner, when 
his nephew came in rather late one evening. 

" To the Methodist meeting, sir," he replied. 

" Who did you see there ? " 

" Gurdon Wadsworth." 

" And who else ? " 

" Asa Rogers." 

"I don't believe it," he said, and directed him to go 
to his bed. 

The " Camp meetings " were recruited largely from 
this neighborhood ; their location is not remembered, 
though the preparation for them, in the way of food 
and necessary household articles, is quite distinct in my 
mind. Chauncey Burr's large two-horse wagon was loaded 
with beds and bed furniture, culinary utensils, and what- 
ever else was necessary for. comfort and support for a 
week or ten days. It was as if families were removing 
to the Genesee country, or the Western Reserve, and was 
regarded not merely as a holiday excursion, but as a 
religious duty ; though as near as can be remembered, 
when the youngsters talked about it some time beforehand, 
it was associated with " Election," " Fourth of July," and 
" General training." This latter term brings vividly to 
mind the great "training" in West Hartford, in 1824. 
We went, that is, grandfather and myself, in his ox-cart, 
and though the sham-battle was a terrific sight, yet the 
way homeward was almost as interesting as any part of 
that wonderful day. Before sundown the review was over 
and crowds filled the road, hilarious, shouting, and driving 



46 Up Neck in 1825. 

their horses at full speed. " Get out of the way, old fel- 
low, get out of the way ! " they cried, as they came up 
racing- ; " give us the road " ; but G. W. paid no attention 
to them, and the oxen plodded on slowly, turning neither 
to the right nor to the left. So finally they were forced 
nearly into the gutter, as they dashed by at full speed. 
The silence and perfect equanimity of that old man 
showed that he was master of the situation ; a light 
buggy was not likely to gain much if it came in contact 
with an ox-cart ; it was too much of a one-sided affair 
altogether. 

Watches and clocks were not very common ; the al- 
manac assured us of the rising and setting of the sun ; 
and the " noonmark," on the sill of the pantry window, 
was a sufficient guide for the middle of the day. These 
three factors being given, the other hours could be ad- 
justed with enough of accuracy ; there was no need of 
examining a watch every hour to satisfy a curiosity, or to 
see if it kept perfect pace with the bell, at noon. 

There are certain things which come to mind every 
little while, which are mentioned, not as personalities, but 
as pertaining to the domestic manners of the time. Some 
earned a little money by "sticking" card teeth; this was 
done mostly by women and children, the strips of leather 
having been pierced by machinery, and the teeth bent in 
proper shape, both sent out by Almansor Denslow. Noth- 
ing remained except to stick the teeth in the holes, which 
was quickly and easily done, and then they were ready 
for any use in carding which might be desired. The long 
strips of leather and boxes filled with card teeth were to 
be seen in many houses, and this work was useful in 
forming habits of industry and cutting off too many hours 
of idle play. Though never learning this art myself, yet 
no one need ever be ashamed of any honest labor which 
is pursued from choice or necessity. 

We were well clothed, though not as abundantly as 



The East Side. 47 

now ; but what boy would wear shoes in moderate weather 
if left to his own choice. The subject began to be can- 
vassed early in May, and the luxury of " going barefoot " 
was looked to with pleasant expectancy. Of course upon 
Sundays, and when we had "company," we were required 
to be well shod, but ordinarily the shoes were laid aside 
in warm weather, though with some remonstrances from 
mothers and aunts. Even when a heavy frost was on the 
ground we went in the morning to cut pumpkins for the 
cows, creeping along with half-frozen feet, trying in vain 
to get a little relief from the cold by treading upon the 
sides, instead of planting them down squarely. What a 
ludicrous picture that would make ! With these rustic 
pursuits one gets some new ideas, and some new sensa- 
tions. With the thermometer below zero, on a January 
morning, before sunrise, and almost before daylight, one 
learns, to his surprise, when foddering cattle, how much 
of cold there is in a solid and well polished fork's-tail. 

The culture of flax had not been altogether aban- 
doned ; the "brake" was in the barn, and the "hetchel" 
was in the garret. Pulling it was hard enough upon the 
back, but the seed was valuable, and the fiber very useful; 
the little spinning wheels were to be found in most 
houses, and if the thread was not woven at home, it was 
still valuable as material for many domestic purposes. 
Sheep were still raised, I think, for the nicely carded rolls 
were yet to be seen in our house. There are some events 
which fix themselves so firmly in the mind that they are 
never effaced, although received in very early childhood. 
My mother was spinning with the great wheel ; the white 
rolls of wool lay upon the platform ; and as they were 
spun upon the spindle, she turning the wheel with one 
hand, and with extended arm and delicate fingers - held 
the roll in the other, stepping backwards and forwards 
lightly, till it was spun into yarn, it formed a picture to 
me, sitting upon a low stool, which can never be forgot- 



48 Up Neck in 1825. 

ten. Her movements were every grace, her form was all 
of beauty to me, 

— "who opposite sat, and was watching her dextrous fingers." 

The evenings were not all spent in story-telling, or in 
reading. There were no corn-shelling implements then ; 
what was not threshed out on the barn floor was shelled 
by hand. That long-handled instrument called " a slice," 
or "peel," used for removing bread from the oven, was 
placed upon a half bushel ; seated upon it, the ears of 
corn were drawn upward against the flattened and sharp- 
ened end. Soon the measure was filled. A bushel in a 
bag, evenly divided, was thrown upon the back of a horse 
and taken to Todd's mill. I waited while it was ground, 
and was somewhat proud when it was taken home. It 
was prboably only an example of what was often done, 
all through the Neck, and is a fair specimen of the prim- 
itive customs which had survived till that time. 

The large bed of coals in the kitchen fire-place were 
carefully covered upon going to bed, and usually were 
preserved until morning. Sometimes, however, they gave 
out, and then in certain families the children were sent 
around the neighborhood to "borrow fire." A few coals 
on a shovel were never grudged, for it was a kindly 
assistance, which every one might need. Matches were 
not in use, for I have no recollection of them until 
some years afterwards, when father removed into the 
city. The first ever seen by me were from Paris, in 
long round boxes, covered with red paper. The matches 
themselves were tipped with red, into which phosphorus 
entered as a part, and were dipped in a small vial con- 
taining an acid, in one end of the box. Before these 
came «into use, and when "borrowing" was not resorted 
to, we used the tinder-box, and I became quite expert 
in making the matches, dipping them in sulphur, mak- 
ing the tinder, and supplying the flints. Of a cold 
morning, in mid-winter, with no fire in the house, and 



The East Side. 49 

when the fingers were stiff with cold, this was not 
always a pleasure, especially when by an unfortunate 
strike with the flint upon the steel, the edge of the 
box was hit, and the tinder sent scattering over the 
hearth. If a boy was ever justified in saying "darn it," 
that was the time. 

Nathaniel Patten owned a little farm just next to us, 
extending as far north as Miss Patty Goodwin's, and 
eastward down nearly to the swamp. He was a mer- 
chant, dealing in dry goods, and lived in a house about 
on the site of the ^Etna Fire Insurance building ; the 
store was in one part of his house. He often drove up 
to his farm in a chaise painted yellow, with a large 
horse, whose head was checked so high that it would 
now call remonstrances from the Humane Society. In 
his blue coat, with brass buttons, and with his shirt 
ruffles, he was a well-appearing man, dazzling to our 
youthful eyes. Seemingly he enjoyed his "gentlemanly 
farming," but would occasionally scold us because our 
hens trespassed into his corn. It was a great astonish- 
ment to me then that so slight an affair should cause 
such a disturbance, and was never fully understood 
until in after years when I learned how a few hens 
could demoralize a whole neighborhood. Near the street, 
between the present house of Thomas Martin and that 
of F. L. Burr, there was a large pond always filled 
with water. In winter this ■ was a favorite place for 
skating. How many nights have I lain in bed and 
heard the joyful shouts of the boys, " Peel away, peel 
away, pom, pom, peel away," as they glided over the 
ice — a terrible aggravation to a boy whose father told 
him he was too small to be out there at night. In the 
lower part of Patten's farm there was quite a patch of 
open wood, which was often visited for nuts. " Patten's 
Woods " was for many years a noted place for picnics, 
pleasant exceedingly in the summer days, when the 
7 



5° 



Up Neck in 1825. 



wind blew up from the south refreshingly, as it does 
in this valley, near the river. So quiet was this wood, 
that some years afterward I saw, in the autumn, our 
wild pigeons among the trees. The ground sloped from 
them to the south, and on a sunny day in early April 
it was a famous place for snakes, lured from their 
winter retreats by the grateful warmth. 

Miss Patty Goodwin lived in a small brick house, very 
near where the Arsenal School-house now stands. She 
was celebrated as a teacher for small children, and so 
it was very proper that her occupation should be con- 
tinued in the same place where she had devoted so 
many years of her useful life. She lived alone, almost 
solitary, except when her children were there ; " the 
front room " was rarely opened and we knew little of 
the house, except the kitchen, or living room, where 
six or eight little tots might be found, sitting upon low 
benches. The limited housekeeping which went on in 
school hours did not interfere with our instruction, and 
the whole was so home-like and comfortable that the 
usual restraint and necessary order of a common school 
was not regarded. Here we learned our letters, and 
abs, and ebs, b-a-k-e-r, etc., and here were learned also 
the use of the needle, and made patch-work quilts, 
which were the admiration of our mothers, and were 
as fairly to be entitled " crazy " as any of the present 
day. Mrs. Walter Keney remembers the good dame 
well, and often visited her on Saturday afternoons, 
and so does Mr. Henry Keney, for all the letters which 
he learned there, for the teachings which he received 
in the use of the needle, and especially for the thump 
upon the head with a large iron thimble on Miss Patty's 
substantial finger.* 

* My sister writes : " So you are thinking up the ' Up Neck ' situation of our 
younger days ; hope your memory will take it all in. I have not forgotten my 
first experience in going to the school which Miss Patty Goodwin kept in her 
kitchen, in her little brick house ; nor with what impatience we listened to hear 
the old hen cackle, hoping we might be the favored one to go for the egg. And 



The East Side. 51 

An open lot, of considerable extent, owned by I. 
Lord Skinner, lay between this house and the one 
north. The lot was used as a pasture only, at this 
time. It contained about twelve acres, and was pur- 
chased of John Morgan in 1815. There were several 
small ponds on it, very small ones, and generally dry 
in summer. All the surroundings are firmly fixed in my 
mind, because it was here that I first saw a snake 
endeavoring to swallow a frog. It was a pitiful sight, 
and the poor fellow seemed to appeal for help, as he 
was being very slowly drawn down into the cavern 
where all captivated frogs go. Whatever remained of 
him outside of the door showed so much of terror, that 
he was quickly liberated with a few blows of a stick. 
The one-story brown house, with a gambrel roof, which 
was formerly the alms-house of the town, on the north 
border of this lot, was now occupied by several families. 
Directly in front of it was the first milestone. This 
location was about opposite the present entrance to the 
North Cemetery. 

T/iomas Marvin built a house just south of the 
arsenal, a year or two before 1825. He was a shoe- 
maker, and was noted for the swing of his arms as he 
went down town for supplies. 

The State Arsenal came next, a very plain building 
with none of its present famous ornamentation. This 
was erected in 1814. Thomas Cooley was the armorer. 

A narrow lane, which now forms a part of Pavilion 
Street, led off to the east four or five hundred feet to 
the fine residence of Ichabod Lord Skinner. He was 
educated as a clergyman, but resigned his charge be-, 
cause he gave an impudent fellow a sound and deserved 
thrashing, and did not feel that he could face his con- 



with what swelling pride I walked home when the huge old ribbon bow was 
pinned on my shoulder — mind, it was to be returned the next morning. Neither 
do I forget that ugly boy, John Knox, who was such a terror to us children. 
I fancy I can now see our yenerable teacher, in cap and specs, performing her 
household duties diligently and patiently, not over annoyed by us kids." 



52 



Up Neck in 1825. 



gregation again. " Lie there, divinity," he said, throwing 
down his coat, after great provocation, and displayed 
such "muscular Christianity" that his opponent soon 
cried "enough." He owned quite an extensive tract of 
land in this neighborhood, was active, enterprising, and 
earnest in his efforts to develop it. He endeavored to 
enlist the aid of the town in laying out a new road, 
starting from the southern end of Village Street, and 
continuing in a straight line until it came to the road 
to Windsor, a little below the second milestone, and 
opposite the Pool lot. As he owned a large part of the 
land through which the road would pass, he erected 
fences upon both sides of it, which were pulled down 
in the night, as was supposed by some parties who 
were hostile to the proposed venture. This process of 
erection and destruction was repeated several times, and 
the project never eventuated in anything practical, save 
that by it Windsor Street was ultimately opened.* He 
had expectations that this would be the great avenue 
to the north, and that the houses on the old road, on 
the high ground to the west, would be almost deserted. 
Which expectations were as likely to be realized as 
were those made when Franklin Avenue was opened, 



* This road projected by Mr. Skinner was never completed. I well remember 
the erection and destruction of fences in the line of this road, which probably 
so discouraged him that the effort was abandoned. For I find an advertisement 
in the American Mercury, Dec. 21, 1822, giving notice that at a session of the 
Hartford County Court, November Term, A. D. 1822, " Upon the petition of John 
Goodwin, Jr., and Return S. Mather, showing that upon the petition of Ichabod 
Lord Skinner and others, for a highway from the north side of Main Street near 
the house of Joseph Talcott deceased, running north so as to intersect the Wind- 
sor road, said Court at March Term, A. D. 1815, established a part of said highway, 
praying the Court that said highway may be discontinued, as by petition dated 
the 31st day of Oct., A. D. 1822. Ordered, that this case be continued to the next 
County Court, to be held at Hartford, in and for the County of Hartford, on 
the fourth Tuesday of March, A. D. 1823," &c. 

The case was brought before the court at the time appointed, "and the parties 
and sd remonstrants being fully heard with their evidence and exhibits and 
Counsel, the Court do find the facts and petition stated to be true, and that sd 
Highway has become unnecessary for public use, whereupon this Court do order 
and declare that the said road be no longer a public Highway, and that the said 
Highway be and the same is hereby discontinued." 

And so the "New Main Street" from which so much was expected, came to 
its death. 



The East Side. 53 

and was to rival the road to Wethersfield. Mr. Skinner 
was born in Marlboro. In 1794, he was settled in North 
Coventry, where he remained almost four years, and until 
his resignation. He erected a fine house for his resi- 
dence, and was undoubtedly a man of much energy and 
talent. After his removal the house was unoccupied for 
some time, but with the land was purchased by David 
Watkinson, who also became the owner of much more 
land in this neighborhood. Mr. Skinner left the city 
and afterwards lived in Washington, being engaged in 
various land operations, and died in Brooklyn in i860. 
On Sundays his two daughters were driven to the Center 
Church, with great regularity, in a chaise, by a colored 
man seated on the bottom, both legs hanging on one 
side. Henry Pratt, the father of the late Henry Z. 
Pratt, lived here afterwards, for a few years. When 
Harvey Hibbard opened the house for billiard players, 
refreshing drinks, etc., in 1835 or thereabouts, he called 
it the "Pavilion," which designation has since been re- 
tained, and has given the name to the street leading 
to it. T. L. Wright had a private school here for a 
time. The Rev. Mr. Bird occupied it for many years 
as a school for boys, and a most excellent school it 
was too. The cider mill which was there in 1825 had 
disappeared long before. It was there that we had our 
apples ground, and there that the boys made useful a 
piece of rye straw about a foot or so in length. 

In 181 1, I. Lord Skinner quit-claimed to the town 
" a certain piece of land lying in front of my Neck 
lots, bounded east on said lots, south on heirs of Ash- 
bel Spencer, late of Hartford, deceased, and west on 
the Windsor road so called, being a piece cut off from 
said lots by an alteration of the road from that place, 
and for the purpose of making said alteration, contain- 
ing three roods and fourteen rods of ground, as by the 
survey of Aaron Cook made by order of the selectmen." 

The road at this time ran farther to the west, near 



54 Up Neck in 1825. 

the house of George Church, curving- still farther west 
to the house of Jeremiah Graves and Henry Grew, and 
then turning- to the east, passed north in the present 
general direction. 

This confirms my impression about the evidences of 
an ancient roadway, which were observed a little below 
here, and which, probably entering the early but not 
much marked road to Windsor, curved gradually towards 
the northwest, passed along near where the old resi- 
dences which I have mentioned were afterwards located. 
It is hardly reasonable to suppose that this old road 
would turn north abruptly, at a right angle, but would 
curve gradually in this direction, just as a man passing 
through some of our forests to the north, would turn 
hither and thither, avoiding small ponds or ravines, or 
fallen trees, but still keeping generally to the northerly 
direction. 

In 1825, from the Arsenal north, to the extent of 
the property of Mr. Skinner, a row of maple trees stood 
by the street line. These trees were then of considera- 
ble size, indicating that they had been planted some 
years previously, and probably about the year 181 1, 
when Mr. S. gave to the town the deed of land which 
has been mentioned. 

And this particular locality is especially remembered 
by me, Mr. A. E. B., because there was a settlement 
between us, of relations which had become somewhat 
strained. It was a peaceful settlement, for I could not 
refuse to accept your denial of a reported charge which 
had been made against you. In its way it was about 
as important as some of the differences which arise 
among States. A small " water-wheel " which I had 
established just back of Harris Olcott's garden, in a 
small stream of melted ice and snow,, had ceased to 
perform its revolutions, and was gone to parts unknown. 
You not infrequently, on your way to school, came 
across lots, in this very direction. How natural it was 



The East Side. 55 

to suppose that you were instrumental in its destruc- 
tion. I do not say that the circumstantial evidence 
would carry conviction in our courts, for too often con- 
victions do not lie in that direction ; lying is rather 
among the witnesses. But now, after all, please confess 
if there was not some truth in the charge ; a long 
time has elapsed, and you need not fear a confession; 
come now, tell the truth, say frankly that you did do 
it; probably it has troubled you much, lain heavily on 
your mind, disturbed your sleep o' nights, and made 
your days miserable; come, now, I'll forgive you. What 
— no? you will not confess? Why, you have the same 
expression, the compressed lips, the clenched fists, that 
you had sixty-five years ago, up in the Neck, in front 
of Jerry Graves's, near to the maple trees, in the month 
of March, when a crowd of boys were around and anx- 
ious to witness the usual termination of a dispute. 
You are not half as complaisant as most of the old 
women, who were charged as being witches by our 
ancestors, who began by denying positively that the}^ 
were witches, but being rather pleased as the supposed 
possessors of wonderful powers, and being also remorse- 
lessly worried and teased, finally confessed just what 
their tormentors desired. 

At some distance was the house of Julius Jones, 
which is still standing, a number of rods from the 
street; his wife is said to have been "a notable mid- 
wife." 

Nathan Wadsworth, a brother of Gurdon, was the 
owner of the next house. He had, some years previous 
to this time, resided at or near the old homestead of 
his father, Captain Samuel Wadsworth, near the present 
Catlin corner; my aunt said that the barnyard extended 
to Main Street. His wife told me that it had been 
arranged that his brother Gurdon should move them, 
but that the particular day had not been agreed on. 
One fine Monday morning he appeared with his ox- 



56 



Up Neck in 1825. 



team, ready to load the family goods, and though she 
protested that they were not ready, and had not thought 
of moving on that day, yet the sturdy farmer declared 
that he was there for that purpose, and " that they had 
got to go," and they went. " Law," said Aunt Sarah, 
"what could we do!" 

Above this was the house of Captain George Cook, 
which held a large and happy family of boys and girls. 
From father down, and I presume from their grandfather 
Aaron also, they were famous for hunting and fishing, 
and interest in all social gatherings and innocent sports. 
On Thanksgiving Days, when it was customary to shoot at 
turkeys and chickens in the lane near the old "Slaughter 
House " lane, which lane I suspect was one of the original 
" roads to the Neck," the father could be found with his 
boys with rifles and shot guns, as interested as any of 
them, commenting in his quiet way, with a little hesitancy 
amounting almost to stuttering, which was decidedly pleas- 
ing. A " fish fry " was not complete unless some of the 
Cook boys were there, to handle that great frying-pan, 
large enough to hold a platter of fish. And who should 
draw the net in " Skinner's Hollow," down in the meadow, 
unless Jo, or George, or Sam, or some of the long list, 
were there to manage it? Alas, not one of them remains; 
but blood will tell, and a George of another generation is 
present, to show us what good things may come out of 
the meadow, besides grass and corn. How many years 
black Joan remained in this hospitable family I know not, 
but long after the period about which this story is being 
told, she was there, a most faithful servant, always ready 
to help the children of the school-house when in crowds 
they poured into the old shed, at their nooning, all clamor- 
ing for water at once. 

Next to the house of Williain Cook was the Button 
factory of Cook cV Church, who were ambitious young men, 
and in 181 2 began the manufacture of gilt buttons of vari- 
ous patterns. When the war ended, they were compelled 



The East Side. 57 

to stop, and the building was unoccupied in 1825. Some 
years afterwards it was moved to the south corner of 
Kennedy Street, where it is now standing, and has been 
converted into a dwelling-house. Samuel Church was a 
brother of Joseph Church, and the father of the late 
Lorenzo Church, who is well remembered by many of our 
citizens. 

The small brown house next to the factory was occu- 
pied by John Goodwin. He had two daughters, Esther and 
Abigail ; the former married James Ruggles, a tall and 
striking fellow, the son of Nathan Ruggles, looking-glass 
maker and gilder. The father was located in the building 
now occupied by T. Sisson & Co., and was interested in 
horticultural matters, having a public greenhouse in the 
rear of his shop, and Judge Adams tells me he was one 
of the corporators of a horticultural society. His son 
James was a different man, and was one of a band of 
actors who played in the wooden building which stood in 
the rear of the Hartford Hotel. This place is well re- 
membered, because Rufus Watrous took me th^re one night, 
when the admittance was twelve and a half cents, and I 
stood outside for some time, kicking my heels in the cold, 
having only six and a quarter cents in my pocket. As the 
house filled, the heart of the ticket-seller softened, and 
going in I saw "Jim" Ruggles in regimentals, in all his 
glory, a very long man, with a very long sword, cutting 
and slashing in a manner sure to captivate a boy's heart. 
And I afterwards saw a wagon load of his companions 
driven off to the jail for violating some ordinance for the 
public good. The other sister married Joseph Wait, a 
printer, a very handsome fellow, with black hair, black 
eyes, and bright cheeks, which attractions captivated too 
many women. But Abigail was a good woman, for whom 
I entertained quite a boyish affection, because she was so 
pleasant, and then for a time she was our "school marm," 
in the summer months. She lived happily with a daughter 
in New York, and only died a few weeks since. 



58 Up Neck in 1825. 

Mr. A. E. Burr has very kindly given me his impres- 
sions of Mr. Maffit, and of the early Methodist movements, 
as follows : 

"John Newland Maffit, the celebrated revivalist, came 
to Hartford in the year 1820. There were not many Meth- 
odists here then. They had no church edifice, and Mr. 
Maffit began revival meetings in the hall of the House of 
Representatives, in the State House, now the City Hall. 
Meetings were held there Sundays and week days, but in 
the evenings the meetings were held in the old Carriage 
factory which was formerly the State House and removed 
to the south side of Church Street, half-way from Main to 
Trumbull Streets, in the year 1795. Mr. Maffit was then 
about 26 years of age. His piercing eyes were black, as 
was his hair, which he combed straight and close to his 
head. It was smooth and shiny black. On the right side 
of his upper lip was a large scar. He was of medium 
size and height, and was called a handsome man. He was 
certainly a remarkable man. He was a good elocutionist, 
had a soft, musical voice, sang sweetly, and as an actor he 
had no fault. On the stage his success would have been 
complete. He was magnetic ; in his sermons he at once 
held his audience in silent and profound attention. He 
appealed to the sympathies, the fears, and to the personal 
welfare of his hearers, in an eloquent manner, and fre- 
quently there was a vein of true poetry in his sermons. 
Beginning his sermon in hardly a note above a whisper, 
he commanded silent attention ; then raising his voice to 
its rich full volume he poured out anathemas upon Satan 
and his works ; he held up in vivid colors the torments of 
hell, and did not hesitate to call it by name and to depict 
its horrible flames of brimstone heat, where unrepentant 
sinners were doomed to dwell forever, " without a drop of 
water to cool their parched tongues." Of the agony of 
Christ upon the cross and his yearning desire to save sin- 
ners, even those who haughtily rejected his overtures, Mr. 
Maffit spoke in eloquent and pathetic terms. His invec- 



The East Side. 59 

tive was severe, and his soft musical tones when express- 
ing sympathy and love for' those who were seeking a re- 
generation, were magnetic, and touched the excited feel- 
ings of his hearers, many of whom fell from their seats as 
if in a swoon. They were ' struck with conviction ' he 
said. Then calling to the altar all who desired prayers 
for their, salvation, he appealed to them in tenderest lan- 
guage, urging them to pray, struggle, ' agonize ' for for- 
giveness — and suddenly lowering his voice he would begin 
to sing in remarkably sweet notes some appropriate 
hymns. Then he prayed earnestly. The effect was felt 
all through the audience, and the converts were many. 

"In 1821 the Methodists began the construction of the 
'First Methodist Episcopal Church in Hartford,' on Trum- 
bull Street, near Main. In December of that year the 
walls were up and the roof was on. There was no plaster 
on the walls, no ceiling to cover the bare rafters. Plain 
pine board seats were put in. The weather was cold, but 
there was neither furnace nor stove. Here large audiences 
crowded in and the revival was great. The large circular 
altar was filled every evening with applicants for* prayers, 
and Mr. Maffit passed from one to another, whispering an 
encouraging word. To the women, placing his face close 
to their bonnets, he would say, ' Pray, sister ; don't yield; 
cling to the Saviour, He will redeem you.' One night, as 
he was passing out of the door, at the close of the ser- 
vices, a stout man struck a heavy blow upon Mr. Maffit's 
chest, and said, sullenly, ' Now keep your face from 
under my wife's bonnet.' The man had no good reason 
for this assault, but he was not arrested. 

" At these revival meetings Mr. Maffit denounced 
' pride ' as a besetting sin. The fashions of society were 
condemned, and young ladies with trimmed bonnets were 
pointed out from the pulpit, and warned that ' those roses 
and ribbons on your bonnets, and your worldly pride, are 
carrying you down to hell, young women ; repent, cast 
away your fashionable attire, and be saved.' Most of the 



60 Up Neck in 1825. 

Methodist women, ignoring pride and fashion, wore stiff 
Quaker drab ' scoop ' bonnets, with no trimmings, believ- 
ing that the pearly gates would readily open to that sign 
of the true faith, while they would not turn on their 
hinges in the presence of a velvet bonnet trimmed with 
bright ribbon, a rose-bud, or the plumage of a beautiful 
bird. 

" Mrs. Maffit did not agree with her husband in his 
religious views. She was light-hearted, loved fashionable 
attire, and was not always respectful to her husband. She 
took pains to adorn and curl her hair and dress in the 
fashion. Mr. Maffit appealed to her to regard the plain 
dress and simple manners that he had urged upon his 
church, and begged of her to please him at least ' half of 
the time.' The next day she appeared with one side of her 
head in curls and dressed in fancy style, while the other 
side (Mr. Maffit's, she said) was brushed down smoothly 
and in the plainest manner. Mr. Maffit was beaten, and 
he surrendered ' his side ' of his wife's head to the fash- 
ion and # pride of the day, dangerous as it was. It was 
proverbial that she loved to torment her husband, and 
repeatedly she attended services and ' made up faces ' at 
him while he was preaching. There were clouds in the 
household of the Maffits, where all should have been 
peaceful and sunny. 

" The church was poor then. It was all the leaders 
could do to get subscriptions enough to erect the walls of 
their new edifice. Among the subscribers was Mr. Strong 
Mather, whose dwelling was 'Up Neck,' near to the 
Windsor line, where one of his sons now resides. Mr. 
Mather was a man of considerable worldly means, a well- 
known and respected citizen. At first Mr. Maffit's elo- 
quence, song, and admirable acting had won his good will, 
and he furnished material, in brick, for building the 
church. Finally there came a misunderstanding, and Mr. 
Mather joined the Episcopal Church. He then demanded 
pay for the material he had furnished. The Rev. Mr. 



The East Side. 6i 

Spicer, a shrewd man, had become pastor of the church. 
He claimed that Mr. Mather had subscribed |i,ooo in aid 
of the church edifice. Mather denied this and sued the 
church. The case came before the Superior Court, and 
Mr. Spicer offered prayer at the opening of the trial. Mr. 
Mather at once rose and left the court-room, saying that 
he could not consent to remain there and hear the man 
who was trying to plunder him appeal to the Almighty to 
favor the plunder. But Mr. Mather was beaten in the 
suit. 

"In 1822, Mr. Maffit left Hartford for Boston. It was 
several years later when he returned and remained a few 
weeks. His smooth, black hair, was now puffed at the 
sides, and parted and turned at the forehead in fashion- 
able style. The barber's curling tongs had done their 
work. But this time he failed to get up a revival, and 
he preached a farewell denunciatory sermon. He said : 
' I have brought you face to face with the Saviour who 
suffered and died to redeem your souls. I have carried 
you up to heaven and presented to you the joys of that 
blissful home in the presence of your Saviour. I have 
carried you down to hell, where the lurid fires and forked 
lightning spread over its confines, leap to the skies, and 
forever burn the sinners who will not repent, but who 
must receive the awful sentence at the last day, " Depart, 
ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and 
his angels." I have urged and warned you : as cold stones 
you sit and listen, but do not come forward for prayers 
and repentance. I wash my hands of your blood and 
sins, and leave you to your inevitable fate. Farewell ! ' 
And then Mr. Maffit left Hartford never to return, and 
finally died with a cloud resting upon a character that 
should have been exceptionally pure ; died of a ' broken 
heart,' it was said, protesting his innocence." 

Passing over the low grounds at the present Sanford 
Street, we come to the house of John Spencer, which was 
pulled down when Elijah Mather built upon the place. 



62 Up Neck in 1825. 

He was a very worthy man, a farmer and cattle dealer, 
who had been unfortunate in his business, and was some- 
what indebted to Captain Aaron Cook. Isaac Toucey, who 
boarded with Mr. S., and was often seen taking his daily 
walk Up Neck, in his blue coat with brass buttons, was 
employed by Mr. Spencer to endeavor to adjust matters 
with Captain Cook. Interest had been charged upon some 
loans, which he said were not legal, were usurious in fact. 
This aroused the anger of the captain, who said he had 
never been called a "usurer before." How the business 
was settled I know not, but though this family of Cooks 
were prudent and thrifty people, there is no reason to 
think that they took unwarranted or illegal liberties with 
their neighbors. Captain Aaron was a surveyor, and was 
the possessor of much real estate, and the charge of Mr. 
Toucey was probably only one of the many methods pur- 
sued by members of his profession who assume to say, or 
intimate, unpleasant things in court as a lawyer, which 
they would hardly attempt as gentlemen out of it. 

Though Captain Aaron was fond of field sports, yet 
they were not allowed to interfere with business. His son 
George came in one day and asked his father if any gen- 
tlemen had called there inquiring for him, and was 
answered "No." It seems that an appointment had been 
made for a hunt with Mr. Elmer, who was to bring his 
hounds, and George was disappointed that the engagement 
had not been kept. Some time afterwards, finding that 
the hunters had called for him but were told that George 
was not at home, he approached his father, to obtain an 
explanation. "Why," said Captain Aaron, "you asked if 
any gentlemen had called for you ; no one called but 
Elmer with his hounds ; do you call that fellow a gentle- 
man ? I call him Hound Elmer ; " and so the son was 
allowed to reconcile the statements as well as he could. 

It was some distance to the next house, occupied by 
Allyn Goodwin, a silver-plater and manufacturer of silver 
spoons. A small shop, directly south of him, was also oc- 



The East Side. 63 

cupied by a Mr. Wadsworth, from New York, where cloth- 
covered buttons were made at one time for Wyllis King - , 
who afterwards removed to St. Louis. The unoccupied 
land, from Spencer's to Goodwin's, was farming land, be- 
longing- to different persons. It was here that the pro- 
jected road of I. Lord Skinner, called New Main Street, 
entered the Windsor road ; and here was the Tomlin lot ; 
and just north of it was the second mile-stone, a few rods 
south of the residence of Charles Mather. 

There was, in the upper part of the Neck, a region 
called " Middlesex " ; the bounds were not very well de- 
fined, but may be considered as extending from the second 
mile-stone to Strong Mather's. There was quite a little 
settlement here, and if a stranger asked where William 
Wadsworth lived, or Moses Goodwin, the answer was, 
" up in Middlesex." A neighborly, good-natured race lived 
there, who were kindly affectioned to one another, and 
who enjoyed themselves, in their way, quite as well as 
those who resided farther south in the city; and the char- 
acter of the region was not' injured, nor its genial spirit 
impaired, when Joseph Pratt some years afterwards moved 
into the house formerly occupied by William Wadsworth. 
Miss Margaret Goodwin has told me of many incidents 
pertaining to good fellowship in this neighborhood. The 
peculiarities of each one were well understood, and some- 
times repeated in personal " hits," as follows : 

" Greeii drinks sling clean, 
Goodwin winks his eye, 
In comes Clapp, and hits him a slap, 
Dickinson is always dry." 

Goodwin had a habit of winking his eyes when talking; 
the allusion to Clapp was to some occurrence in which 
he was engaged ; and Green and Dickinson were remem- 
bered for some peculiarities which were personal to them. 
Moses Goodwin kept many swarms of bees, and made 
much metheglin from the honey. It was so well known, 



Up Neck in 1825. 



and so meritorious, that many citizens paid him frequent 
visits. I refrain from mentioning the names which have 
been given me, of gentlemen from the city who drove up 
of a fine morning, to take a raw egg with their metheglin, 
before breakfast. 

We have now arrived at the buttonball trees which 
seemed then to be almost as large as they are now. 
Here Moses Goodwin resided ; the house was painted red, 
and was a fair specimen of many of the country houses 
of the olden time, with its huge chimney in the middle, 
its "lean-to," and the roof running from the ridge nearly 
to the ground on the east. The low ceiling in these 
houses was very general, and was hardly seven feet from 
the floor. Some were seen by members of the Historical 
Society, in their late excursion to Deerfield, built by the 
earliest settlers, which were less than this, which would 
brush the hair of some of our tallest men in town if they 
entered them without stooping. It was probably the 
design of the builders to easily warm the house, and no 
great harm was done, as the huge fire-place kept the 
room well ventilated. Mr. Starkweather says that it is 
reported this house was built in 1709, and it is still in good 
preservation, with its new clapboards, and its new coat of 
paint, and its cosy well-kept rooms ; it is a very neat and 
comfortable place indeed. Miss Margaret Goodwin lived 
here, having inherited it from her father, Moses Goodwin, 
and it is one of the few instances in which house and 
land have remained in one family for many generations. 
From her I obtained much information ; though she was 
86 years of age, yet her memory was remarkably good, so 
that she could recall events, names, and dates, with a 
readiness not usually found in aged people. She was 
erect as a young lady in her teens, patient and cheerful, 
though she had lost her sight, intelligent, and ready to 
converse about the times of old, which seemed to her, as 
is most natural, better than those of the new. And as 
she spoke pleasingly of the men and women of the past, 



The East Side. 65 

of the kindly, hospitable, and enjoyable manner in which 
they lived, it was easy to realize that with less of rush 
and show and glitter, there was still a great degree of 
comfort enjoyed by our ancestors. If she expressed re- 
grets at the loss of her sight, it was that she was unable 
to read, to see the blue skies, and the beautiful flowers in 
her garden. Since these sketches were written she has 
passed away, gently and peacefully, so that it was almost 
impossible to tell when she had gone. Though my 
acquaintance with her was limited, it still remains as a 
comfortable example of how a Christian need not fear to 
die, and how happy one may be if he realizes that " con- 
tentment is great gain." 

Next to this was the house of William Goodwin, now 
occupied by Thomas Gates. Then followed Abner Wads- 
worth ; and next to him, on the corner of the road leading 
into the meadow, William Wadsworth. There was in this 
vicinity a small house occupied by Thankful Cook, " a mid- 
wife, the best in those days." 

George Wadsworth, a brother of Gurdon and Nathan, a 
distant relative of his neighbors of the same name, lived 
at the north corner of the meadow road. Benjamin Allyn, 
the father of the late Richard J., married one of the 
daughters, and Russell Wildman another ; the only son, 
George, died in Baltimore and was never married. It is 
with this family of Wadsworths, as with many others, that 
there is not now living a single direct descendant in our 
male line, through Samuel Wadsworth, though through the 
female branches quite a family might be gathered 
together. 

North of him lived Return Strong Mather, always called 
Strong Mather, a man of very marked character, and the 
father of a large family, some of whom still survive. He 
was an extensive farmer, and was in better pecuniary cir- 
cumstances than some of his neighbors. It might not be 
proper to say that he was obstinate, or self-opinionated, 
9 



66 Up Neck in 1825. 

but every one knew that when he had a matter fairly- 
settled in his mind, there was no possibility of moving him 
from it ; and perhaps the same might be said of him, 
when he, in the opinion of others of course, had not fairly 
considered it. For, men of this mental formation are so 
often the victims of their own prejudices, or suspicions, 
that they come to conclusions without much thought of 
justice or propriety. He was a Methodist, and contributed 
liberally to the building of the church in Trumbull Street. 
Whether he thought his aid gave him a claim to more 
consideration, or what is more probable, that his opinions 
were not universally regarded, is not known ; but he be- 
came so offended that he left his brethren, and connected 
himself with Christ Church. He was not the first man 
who, finding that he could not " run " a religious society, 
has gratified himself by running away from it. 

The strifes and contentions about slight differences in 
opini on which characterized the religious body from early 
colonial times, and were continued through many genera- 
tions, have not ceased in our day, and will not cease in 
the future, until men have more tolerance for the opinions 
of others, and insist less upon matters not vital to Chris- 
tianity. When the hearts of men are thoroughly imbued 
with the precepts of our Saviour, there will be found that 
" unity " for which they have so long prayed. 

But his children, whom I have known for many years, 
and with some of whom I attended school, in the old 
school-house yet to be described, have been most worthy 
and patient people, whose acquaintance and friendship it 
has been a pleasure to enjoy. 

Thomas Wadsworth lived in the next house north ; and 
perhaps Asa Rogers lived here also, or somewhere in the 
neighborhood. He was a farmer, a Methodist, and 
the father of William, Asa, Jr., and Simeon, all Methodists, 
and all silver platers. The singing of Asa, Jr., with his 
head thrown far backwards, his whole soul being engaged 



The East Side. 67 

in it, was a sight to be remembered, and a song to be 
heard. 

The large house still standing next to this was owned 
by John Marsh, a substantial citizen, who died at an ad- 
vanced age not many years ago. The line between the 
towns of Hartford and Windsor passes near or through 
this house, but I have never known that any of this fam- 
ily have ever found it convenient to take sudden advan- 
tage of it. He was quiet and gentle, much attached to 
old manners and customs, fond of his home, his land, and 
all that he possessed. He was noted for the excellent 
care which he gave to ■ his animals, so that if any were 
offered for sale they were sure to be the fattest, the sleek- 
est, and the best in the market. When he brought a fine 
yoke of cattle down town, the admiration of all who saw 
them, and was asked upon what they had been fed, he 
would reply in his quiet way, " O, nothing." When the 
railroad to Springfield was being surveyed he was much 
disturbed because it was proposed to pass through his 
land. Like our Southern brethren, he wished "to be let 
alone." He had lived for so many years in the home of 
his ancestors without change, that he could not be recon- 
ciled to the rushing of railroad trains through his lots. As 
no agreement could be come to, the land was taken by ap- 
praisal, and the money tendered to him in payment. But 
he refused to 'take it, and it lay for a few years in the 
Exchange Bank to his credit. ' Finally, being urged by a 
friend to withdraw it, who told him thafe he could still 
entertain as much spite as ever against the railroad, and 
after deliberation, he consented and took it. 

The last house in Hartford on the east side of the 
road, and which appears to stand off in the meadow, was 
occupied by Hezekiah Marsh. 



V. 

THE WEST SIDE. 

"" ET us return to the south, and pass up the west side 
f of the road. But first let us consider the topography 
__] of the land about the Tunnel, which is quite differ- 
ent from that of many years ago. A culvert crossed the 
road just south of or near McRonald's greenhouses, and 
the water flowed southwest through Samuel Marsh's lot, 
and across the Albany road, into Norman Butler's large 
pasture, and then into Little River. The culvert was from 
four to five feet below the present road-bed ; this depres- 
sion extended east, in the direction of the railroad tracks, 
but the flowage of water was wholly to the southwest. 

If we look south we see that the large and ancient 
house lately occupied by Nathaniel Goodwin, stands upon 
an elevation of at least ten feet above the road, which 
anciently curved to the south, and the house was then at 
right angles to it. This was before the Albany Turnpik 
was opened, and standing as far down as Trumbull Street 
we can see what a curve would be made if the line was 
carried up so far as to meet the west line of the highway 
to Windsor. The Goodwin house was originally entered by 
but a few steps, and the ground sloped gradually to the 
east on the Ely lot, and to the north also, where the culvert 
was built. The southeast corner of the Normand Butler lot 
was much lower than the highway, within my remembrance, 
and the lot was protected by a common post and rail 
fence. If we look at the three-story wooden house 
formerly occupied by Wm. Ely, we can judge how much 






The West Side. 69 

the street has been lowered there ; and this is shown also 
by the old Daniel Moore and the old Keney house. The 
ground gradually rose on the north after passing the cul- 
vert. Thus we find that the surface line was originally 
quite different from the present one, and that the Goodwin 
house was on quite an elevation, which sloped gradually 
to the east and north, as it did to the west also, across 
the present Ann and High Street and school-house lot 
into the pasture. 

The store of E. & R. Terry stood at the corner of 
Windsor and Albany roads.* It was of two stories, built 
of wood, and surrounded by a number of storehouses so 
that a large stock of goods was always kept on hand, to 
supply their very extensive trade. That it was extensive 
will be recognized when we state that their customers 
came from as far north as Greenfield, Brattleboro, and 
even Bellows Falls. There was quite a transportation 
then in scows or flat-bottom boats up the river. When 
the water was low their cargoes were unloaded and carried 
in carts or wagons around Enfield Falls, Bellows Falls, 
and Wilson's Falls. This was tedious and costly, and led 
to improvements in after years. There was a large trade 
also with the northern part of Litchfield County, and the 
lower part of Berkshire County. Few of our citizens can 
now realize the great number of country teams which 
were pouring into town through the Albany road, from 
early morning until afternoon. At that time they had dis- 
posed of their produce, and, loaded with plaster, salt, and 
groceries of all kinds, were wending their way homeward. 
Much of this business was done in the winter, when there 
was snow on the ground. It is said that there was a tav- 
ern for every mile between the city and New Hartford ; 
so calculating their time judiciously, they would stop at 



* In a survey made by Aaron Cook, County Surveyor, in the interest of the 
Hartford Bridge Company, October, 1814, this is called Church's Corner. I am 
indebted to Mr. Thomas Martin for an examination of this map. 



70 Up Neck in 1825. 

one of these over night both in coming and going, because 
they. were less expensive than those of the city.* 

Eliphalet and Roderick Terry were brothers, and came 
from Enfield about the beginning of the century. The 
latter was the younger, and for a time acted as clerk, but 
soon was taken into partnership, and the firm of E. & R. 
Terry, which lasted many years, was well known all over 
this part of the country. 

They were both of them sharp and enterprising men, 
well fitted for their business ; but they did not have all 
the trade to themselves, for though being at the head of 
the line, thus having the advantage of position, they had 
active competitors farther down the street. The thrifty 
and prudent countryman liked to run the gauntlet, and in- 
quire the prices, before selling. The Terrys dealt in 
plaster, salt, sugar, molasses, codfish, tea, coffee, spices, 
rum, gin, brandy, and all that lot of miscellaneous articles, 
which were needed for the country store, or for the fam- 
ily. The use of alcoholic stimulants, while not greater 
than at present, was much greater among a certain class, 



* The following list of taverns between Hartford and New Hartford is given 
me by Mr. Keney : 

1. Joseph Pratt, just north of Asylum Street. 

2. Joseph Pratt, Jr., afterwards kept by Daniel St. John. 

3. Daniel M. Cooley, opposite Goodrich's drug store. 

4. Samuel Moore. 

5. James Goodwin, just west of Gully Brook. 

6. Lemuel Howlett, corner Albany and Blue Hills roads. 

7. Elisha Wadsworth, corner Albany road and Prospect Hill. 

8. Barney Collins, West Hartford Four Corners. 

9. Aaron Goodman, West Hartford Four Corners. 
10. Major Whiting, West Hartford Four Corners, 
ii. Erastus Phelps, at toll-gate. 

12. Major Marshall, foot of the mountain. 

13. Francis Woodford, Avon. 

14. Obed Higley, opposite Woodford's. 

15. Hosford, Canton. 

17. Zenos Dyer, Canton. 

18. Thomas Bidwell, Canton. 

19. Samuel Merrills, near Satan's Kingdom. 

20. Wilcox, Pine Meadow. 

21. General Cowles, of New Hartford, a very noted place, where passengers 
for Albany took breakfast, having left Hartford at 2 o'clock in the morning. 



The West Side. 71 

who thought it was necessary to keep their generous stores 
for the sake of hospitality and good fellowship. It was 
thought especially necessary to lay in a supply "to go 
through haying," for what farmer would venture to send 
his men into the field without furnishing regular rations 
of rum or gin ? Rum was upon the whole much preferred, 
because it was so "cooling" in hot weather, and then it 
was " warming " in the winter when the men went into 
the woods "chopping." It was as great a discovery as 
that made by the Arkansas quack, whose wonderful bark 
would vomit if the wood was scraped upwards, and would 
purge if scraped downwards. At these times a hogshead 
of rum, placed upon the sidewalk, was sure to be pumped 
dry before night, in filling kegs, jugs, and bottles. Now, 
these bottles were not small affairs of glass, holding a half 
pint, or quart, but were made of wood, hooped with iron, 
sometimes with brass and of generous capacity, holding from 
a gallon upwards. There was a hole in one side, with a 
well-fitted stopper of wood, which kept its place well, until 
the bottle was elevated in the air, and a pair of lips were 
placed under it. Some of these bottles were very ancient 
in appearance, and I have no doubt had gone down from 
father to son, one generation after another, and very 
likely the bottle triumphed at last. Cider brandy was 
brought into the city in great quantities and shipped 
mostly to New York ; apples were raised in abundance 
and were made into cider ; it was a part of the farmer's 
business and relied upon as one of his means of support. 
After calculating how much would carry him through the 
year — and he was generous in his calculations — the over- 
plus was taken to the distillery, and made an article of 
merchandise, and bought and sold by our merchants in 
town, without a suspicion of wrong-doing, just as their 
grandfathers before them had bought and sold 'men, 
women, and children. It may surprise many to learn that 
cider brandy was sold at as low a price as twenty-two 
cents a gallon. It does not often come to any community 



72 Up Neck in 1825. 

to put their stamp of disapproval even upon a great evil, 
at its first conception. It begins its life so insidiously, and 
is linked in with so much "respectability," that it meets 
with tolerance, or general approval, before men recognize 
how dangerous it is. And we may pardon some of the 
sins of our ancestors, and not hold them up to everlasting 
reproof, when it is possible that our descendants will 
blame us equally, for our degrading sin of drunnkeness 
and the awful destruction of human life by violence. 

There was a small sign nailed on the store, of " Cash 
or Salt for Flaxseed." Flax was then in general cultivation, 
and the seed was readily bought by our merchants. It 
was no uncommon thing for 100 tierces, or 700 bushels, to 
be shipped at one time ; it mostly went to New York, 
and the farmer was glad to exchange it for salt which he 
greatly needed. 

The competition between buyers was great ; the 
farmer was master of the situation, and though it was 
supposed there was a standard price for flaxseed and for 
salt, yet occasionally the merchant would drop into the 
barrel or bag, a pint or a quart more of salt than some 
of his neighbors, "just for the sake of a trade, you know." 
The stories which have come down to us about some of 
these men, all dead long ago, show that these lasted 
longer than a lifetime, and also show the active com- 
petition which then existed. 

Eliphalet Terry lived in a house just north of and very 
near his store ; it was occupied for several years after he 
left it by different persons, among them Dr. J. L. Corn- 
stock, and was finally removed to the corner of Brook and 
Pine Streets, where it still stands. 

The Terrys were men of note in the town ; though 
somewhat different in temper, yet both were highly re- 
spected, and were identified in various ways with interests 
of importance. Eliphalet was president of the Hartford 
Fire Insurance Company, and Roderick was president of 



The West Side. 73 

the Exchange Bank, which positions they retained until 
the time of their deaths. 

It is related of Eliphalet Terry, that he pledged his 
fortune in raising money to pay the losses of the company 
by the great fire in New York in 1835. The losses were 
promptly met and the insurance company was carried 
safely through. His boldness and courage were rewarded 
by a large increase of business and the establishment of a 
reputation which the company has ever maintained. 

He was very influential in obtaining subscriptions for 
the theological seminary at East Windsor. When he ap- 
plied to A. S. Beckwith he was told " that he would think 
of it, but what security would he give ? " Mr. Terry re- 
plied that " he would give him a draft upon the Lord." 
Meeting him some time after, Mr. Beckwith said, " I have 
been down to the bank of your brother, and find that the 
Lord keeps no account there." 

He was a strict observer of Sunday, and believed in 
enforcing the law against ordinary labor on that day. 
Living as he did so near the junction of the two great 
lines of travel into the city, he could not avoid observing 
many instances when, in his opinion, the law was broken. 
Hartford was an important market for cattle and horses 
and mules, for shipment to the West Indies. Not infre- 
quently, being near their journey's end on Sunday, their 
owners would endeavor to drive them to the slaughter- 
house or stables, but they little knew the positive and 
perhaps autocratic man they were to meet at the corner. 
" Run down to brother Seth," said he, " and tell him to 
stop this drove," and they were stopped. 

Few of us now remember the great number of emi- 
grants' wagons which passed through the town on their 
way to the west. Large, heavy, and canvass covered, they 
held the household goods, and gods, and goddesses, with a 
large brass kettle swinging from the hind axletree. I have 
seen just enough of these to understand the description, 



74 Up Neck in 1825. 

and to realize how this has been repeated by one genera- 
tion after another, until the " prairie schooner " has passed 
even beyond the Rocky Mountains. On one Sunday Mr. 
Terry saw one of these huge wagons passing down the 
road, violating the law in his opinion. It was the usual 
order : " Run down to brother Seth, and tell him to stop 
this wagon ; " and brother Seth, who was a justice of the 
peace, felt bound to regard the complaint made to him. 
But "brother Seth," who as an officer was regardful of 
the law, doubtless entertained, and I feel pretty certain 
that he did, very different opinions as an ordinary man. He 
was wholly unlike his brother Eliphalet, was more liberal 
in his views, had an excellent fund of common sense, was 
wonderfully honest, and had that happy balance of mind 
and judicious discernment which enables some men not 
to observe some things which are not exactly right, but 
whose recognition brings more of harm than of good. 
And he had also that which neither of his brothers pos- 
sessed, especially the elder, an infinite fund of humor, 
which showed itself in expressions the most quaint with a 
countenance and manner the most sober. Anyone who 
knew the late J. G. E., and how highly he regarded Mr. 
Terry, will realize how much he must have possessed of 
kindness and good fellowship to have won the good 
opinion of so reticent and eccentric a man. 

And so the big covered wagon was turned into the 
yard of the tavern below, to remain until the journey 
could be resumed on Monday. Robert Turner heard of 
it, and expostulated with his neighbor Eliphalet ; it was 
a great trial to these people, who were probably poor, 
and could not well bear this additional expense. " What 
would you do ? " said Mr. Terry. " Do ? " said Robert, 
" Do ? I would give them half a dollar and send them 
along." 

Anson Gleason, who worked in the tool shop of 
Leonard Kennedy, and afterwards went as a missionary 
among the Indians at the West, complained to Nathaniel 



The West Side. 75 

Goodwin that his neighbor, Robert Turner, was making 
hay on Sunday. Mr. G. was a justice of the peace, and 
was therefore a proper officer to consider the matter, so 
he said, " This is very wrong, Mr. Gleason, very wrong ; 
it must be seen to," and sent him away. But with that 
spirit of judicious liberality which characterized him, he 
doubtless considered that his neighbor would do nothing 
which could be considered as an infraction of the law. 

So Mr. Gleason applied to Judge Peters, who replied 
that he had not qualified as a justice, and besides, he 
could not consent to act, as there were his neighbors 
Sam Marsh and Tom Belden, who would work on Sun- 
day, and he should be compelled to notice them. And 
then, he was obliged occasionally to make hay himself 
on the same day, so that he had better get another to 
bring the action. 

North of him was Samuel Marsh, who had been a 
merchant, but had failed in business. The house was 
of some pretension, with a wide hall and large stairway ; 
the railing and balusters were of some dark wood highly 
polished and carved, and would have delighted the heart 
of any antiquarian. I only remember them when, as a 
physician many years afterwards, I climbed the easy 
steps, the treads broad and the risings low, and the 
carved wood was as black as ebony. In early times, I 
am told, that it was not easy to arrest one who was in 
debt, if he kept within his own house. Unfortunate Mr, 
Marsh happened to be in debt to the Cowles' of Farm- 
ington, and they could not get their money, and so 
closely did he keep himself that they could not arrest 
him. Finally the sheriff, disguised as a peddler of rye 
flour, made him a visit, and offered some of it for sale. 
So honest a looking farmer was he, that Mr. Marsh 
threw off his usual caution, and left his house to look 
at the flour in the wagon ; and then the "honest far- 
mer" at once became the ingenious sheriff, who arrested 
and put him in jail. This was in the days when im- 



76 Up Neck in 1825. 

prisonment for debt had not been abolished, when a man 
who owned no property by his own account, but was sup- 
posed to have concealed it, could be put in jail. If he 
swore that he owned nothing he could be let " out on 
the limits," as it was called. These were well specified, 
and rather narrow, but woe to the unfortunate debtor if 
he went beyond them. So Mr. Marsh took the oath, 
and was " on the limits " for some time ; it gave him 
fresh air and exercise, and opportunity to roam about a 
small part of the city, but he was not able to reach his 
own house. I remember many times seeing men walk- 
ing slowly about, who, the boys said, were " on the 
limits." They were confined or restrained as long as the 
creditor would pay the debtor's board, which meant as 
long as he felt decidedly mad ; and the anger of some 
of them continued for a long while. 

There is a story current, that Mr. Marsh, while on 
the limits, hired or bought, or procured to be purchased 
for him, a small house just south of the old jail, where he 
dwelt, and so escaped the confinement in prison. A 
friend relates that being at one time in that neighborhood, 
he saw Mr. Marsh in this house, rocking in his chair, as if 
in perfect enjoyment. The expedients of some persons to 
avoid payment of a debt would seem to be greater than 
to pay the debt itself. 

Farther north, where Warren Rowley now lives, was 
Michael Olcott, a retired merchant, who had formerly been 
engaged in the West India trade. He was tall, of good 
appearance, gentlemanly in his manner, and a sound 
churchman. He was one of the wardens of Christ church 
from 1813 to 1818. He was also one of thirty-four per- 
sons who in 1796 "agreed to join and associate themselves 
into a religious society by the style and title of the 
Episcopal Society of the City of Hartford, under the 
direction and government of the Right Reverend Bishop 
of Episcopal Clergy." The house in which he lived is 
now standing in good preservation, on the corner of Main 



The West Side. 77 

and Belden Streets, about 200 feet back from the road. 
Formerly there were a number of large mulberry trees 
about it, which furnished abundant fruit for birds — and 
boys. He was at one time quartermaster-general of the 
State, and major-commandant of the Governor's Horse 
Guard. He had three sisters, one of whom married the 
Rev. Dr. Barry of New Jersey, the father of the late Dr. 
James W. Barry of this city ; the others lived with him. 
He died in May, 1829. 

Among the papers of Mr. Olcott was found the bill, 
a fac simile of which is given (see page 78). 

Thomas Burkett was, I suppose, the sexton appointed 
by the town. Mr. Parker finds no mention of him "in 
the records of the First Ecclesiastical Society from 1780 
to 1820." The only reference to him that I discover, 
after a not very thorough examination of the town 
records, is the following, which would indicate pretty 
clearly that he was the sexton employed by the town, 
and had the care of the cemetery near the meeting- 
house. At a town meeting January 25, 1803, Voted, 
"That the sum of forty shillings lawful money be al- 
lowed Mr. Burkett for ringing the Bell in addition to 
the sum usually allowed him." Very likely "blax bets" 
was, or had been a slave in Mr. Olcott's family ; the 
spelling of words in the bill was not worse than that 
of some of the clerks of the school districts. 

Thomas Belden occupied the house on the north cor- 
ner of Belden's lane. It was built for him by Colonel 
Samuel Belcher about 1807 or 1808, and the reported 
cost was $5,000. It is a stately mansion, still standing, and 
is in wonderfully good condition, a credit to the builder, 
who was one of the best workmen of his time. Mr. 
Belden was originally a pump-maker, near the river, and 
resided in Ferry Street, where he soon opened a store, 
having got into the West India trade. He owned a 
woolen factory in Agawam, and a distillery in Simsbury. 
It is reported of him, or of his son, that he once asked 



78 



Up Neck in 1825. 



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The West Side. 79 

the late S. S. Batterson to deliver a temperance lecture 
in his distillery, and the response came that he would 
if allowed to choose the text, which was from Jonah, 
chapter 2, part of the second verse : " Out of the belly 
of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice." The 
lecture was delivered. He was a man of very marked 
character, positive, and outspoken. He possessed his little 
peculiarities, and never had fear of manifesting them. 
He was one of those Republicans who voted as he 
talked, and was never afraid to talk. When the major- 
ity for the Federalists was always great in the town, 
and men of his party were derided and almost ostra- 
cised, it required a will which was strong, and a cour- 
age which was fearless, to "stand up and be counted." 
This independence in thought and action was so marked 
a characteristic, that it could not be expected to be lost 
in the succeeding generation. When he requested a 
thing to be done, he wished it to be done at once. During 
his last sickness, lying in bed, he was irritated by a noisy 
fellow, who created a great disturbance about the house, 
by shouting, and beating upon the door. He requested 
his nurse to go out and send him away, saying that he 
was disturbing Mr. Belden, who was quite sick. The 
request acted much like a red flag to an infuriated 
bull, and only led him to pound the louder. So all of 
Mr. Belden's energy came back to him, and, rushing 
from his bed, he opened the door suddenly, and with a 
well-directed blow sent the fellow sprawling down the 
steps. He went back to his bed and never left it 
again. 

Mr. Belden was a liberal contributor toward the Uni- 
versalist Church. Dr. Bacon could not be supposed to 
look upon such a movement with more favor than his 
pastor. " We have," said he, " a fire insurance company, 
a marine insurance company, and now we have a hell-fire 
insurance company." If Mr. Belden was a man of marked 
individuality, so was Dr. Bacon. They were very unlike, 



80 Up Neck in 1825. 

for while one had great faith in the Center Church and 
Dr. Hawes, the other had very little ; both, however, had 
very positive opinions and little hesitation in expressing 
them. 

Mr. Belden was a wealthy man, and was influential 
in securing a charter for the Farmers and Mechanics' 
Bank ; a democratic legislature could not well refuse to 
accommodate its democratic friends, even though they had 
been clamoring against banks generally. The influence 
which these could exert was supposed to be thrown against 
their party, and as some of their officers were active party 
men, there was probably foundation for this belief. In 
the distribution of the stock the Democracy were remem- 
bered, and the bank was known for some time as the 
Democratic Bank. 

An extensive orchard of apple and pear trees north of 
the house lay upon the road, and extended to James Shel- 
don's. Hugh Waterman also lived here. Between this quite 
old brown house and that of Harris Olcott, there was a 
small one-story building occupied by colored people. 
Olcott had quite a large family of boys and girls, and 
some of his descendants are yet livivg in the city. Next 
was James Anderson, who worked in Leonard Kennedy's 
tool shop. A son of the same name was working with 
him, but after a "revival" he studied for the ministry, 
and was for a long time and until he died a Congrega- 
tional minister at Manchester, Vermont. Next north lived 
Charles Church, who was a farmer and teamster in a. mod- 
erate way. 

Mr. Keney informs me that there was formerly a pond 
near the present east end of Seyms Street, which extended 
into the highway, so that foot passengers were obliged to 
go into the street to get around it ; the water was clear, 
and travelers were accustomed to water their horses here. 
It must originally have had close connection with Patten's 
pond. It had been filled in before the time of which I 
write, for there was no water there then. In his chapter 



The West Side. 8i 

on "Black Governors in Connecticut," Sceava (I. W. Stuart), 
referring to Peleg Nott, who belonged to Colonel Jeremiah 
Wadsworth, says : " When elected governor, a curious ac- 
cident befell him. The place of election was on the Neck, 
near the north burying-yard." The horse of Peleg ran 
with him, and threw him into " a pond, which then lay a 
little south of the cemetery mentioned." This, undoubt- 
edly, was the pond of which Mr. Keney speaks, and the 
one alluded to by Sceava, as it was near the place of 
inauguration, and being partly in the roadway, it was very 
convenient for the horse. I do not think that this partic- 
ular spot, the precise location of this important historical 
fact, the unfortunate accident to the last of the Black 
Governors, would ever have been known, save for the ex- 
cellent memory of our excellent friend. It now takes its 
place with other notable cases of like importance, the 
truth of which has been established by long and patient 
research.* 

John Bowles, a shoemaker, lived in the next house. 
Then came Richard Wadsworth, and next Archibald Green- 
field, whose house was on the south corner of the present 



♦These small ponds are numerous all over the town; the origin of them has 
been a matter of curious speculation, but has not been satisfactorily explained. 
They are mostly round, or nearly so, sometimes in a clay soil, and sometimes in 
one of sand, but always, as far as I know, resting upon a blue clay, with more 
or less of peat or peaty moss at the bottom and sides. Usually they are not sup- 
plied by springs, but receive water from the drainage of the land, and rarely 
become dry. A few rods in diameter would be the measurement of most of them. 
These ponds are scattered Sill over New England, especially in the southern part, 
some of them of large size, even lakes, or lakelets, but the majority are much 
like to our own. How many can be found in Hartford I know not, but Prof. G. 
F. Wright, in the " Ice Age hi North America? says that "the southeastern por- 
tion of Massachusetts abounds in them in a special degree, as before remarked. 
Plymouth county is little less than a ganglion of such glacial lakes, with their 
inclosing deposits — Plymouth township alone being reputed to have three hundred 
and sixty." p. 320. 

It is his opinion that these ponds and lakes are due to the immense glacier 
which, many thousand years since, covered a large northern portion of this con- 
tinent, which, slipping down over this immense area, was driven into the ocean, 
or melted by warmer air. The large lakes were produced by the damming of a 
valley by the earth and rocks borne along and deposited by the glacier ; and 
the smaller ponds by the masses of ice in great fragments driven into the earth 
as it passed over them ; and also by the deposit of earth and rocks, which were 
set free by the melting of the ice, or by currents of water running through or 
under the glacier. 
II 



82 Up Neck in 1825. 

Pine Street. A grandson, Archibald Greenfield Loomis, is 
now cashier of the JEtna National Bank. 

"Nigger Lane," and the present Pine Street, and the 
North Cemetery have already been mentioned. North of 
it stood the house of Joseph Cook, a very respectable col- 
ored man, whose property was afterwards purchased by 
Stephen Page, a former sexton, and is now included in the 
cemetery. His gravestone may be found at the side of 
one of the roadways, and reads as follows : 

Mr. Joseph Cook, 

A man of Colour, was born in Virginia, free, came to Hartford about 
1802, and died March 25, 1832. 

He had a sound mind, was industrious and honest, but more than 
all he was a Christian, a much-esteemed brother of the Baptist Church. 
In his life, especially in his last sickness, he exemplified the peculiar 
power of Religion of Jesus to exalt and sustain the humble. Reader, 
as you survey this spot and the regions of the dead around you and 
raise your tho'ts above, and reflect on what Joseph now is, remem- 
ber that it was faith in Christ that gave him the victory. 

He was one day soliciting subscriptions for a church 
for the colored people. "Why, Mr. Cook," said one, 'your 
friends do not appear to have paid much themselves." 
"No, sir," he replied, "our folks are good to 'scribe, but 
poor pay." 

At an accidental gathering in the north part of the 
town, Cook introduced his project for building a church 
for the colored people in Talcott Stivet. They listened, 
and gave him encouraging words, but there was no pecu- 
niary response. "Gentlemen," said he, "I don't doubt 
your good 'tentions, but I had rather see your names on 
this paper." 

Then came in succession the dwelling of George Church, 
Still standing between the cemetery and St. Thomas's 
Church ; Jeremiah Groves, a carpenter and builder, who 
was quite an enterprising man. He removed to Jackson- 
ville, Illinois, about 1833-4. The Rev. Henry Grew was 
next to him, who has been described to me as a "sort of 



The West Side. 83 

Baptist," who was not in full communion with his breth- 
ren, but had seceded and held service with a few followers 
in different places. This report led me to inquire more 
about him, for I only recollect him when he lived on the 
east side of Burr Street, a short distance below the present 
Pleasant Street. Mr. C. G. Munyan, the clerk of the Bap- 
tist society, has kindly sent me the following", from the 
records, June 1, 181 1 : 

"After prayer took into consideration the case of our 
elder, Henry Grew, who had withdrawn himself from the 
pastoral care and fellowship of this church, on account of 
some existing differences of sentiment respecting the Order 
of Christ's House. 

"The church labored to show Elder Grew that the 
step he had taken would . . . expose him to the loss 
of his usefulness in a great measure, if not altogether, 
and desired him to retrace his steps and take his place in 
the church, and then if he wished to remove his relation, 
the church would give him a letter stating particularly 
the ground of our separation, and part in fellowship on 
those points in which we were in fellowship, for as he 
now stood the church could view him in no other light 
than as a disorderly brother, however much they respected 
him for his piety and sincerity as a Christian, conse- 
quently could not ask him to preach or administer to us 
in any way while in this situation." 

"But Mr. Grew persisted in justification of his proced- 
ure. The church had frequent meetings to consider Mr. 
Grew's case ; committees were appointed to labor with 
him, and at last a council of churches was called which 
gave good advice, but all to no avail. Grew persisted in 
his course, and on September 29, 181 1, the church unani- 
mously withdrew fellowship with him, and he was ex- 
cluded from membership." 

He was pastor of the church from 1807 to 181 1. 

Luther Savage occupied a fine house north of him. 
On the west was quite a forest known as " Savage's 



84 Up Neck in 1825. 

woods." This is now incorporated in the Spring Grove 
Cemetery, but a number of the trees are still standing, to 
the injury of many of the beautiful monuments. After 
the death of Mr. Savage the property passed through the 
hands of several owners, each one making a handsome 
gain in price, it is said. 

At an elevation above the road, and some distance 
from it, lived Josiah Capen, a marked character, whose 
slaughter-house was guarded by a brindled dog, a perfect 
terror to me as I passed on the way to school ; you, too, 
Mr. Burr, felt the power of his teeth. I do not wish to 
say anything against this dog, for he has been dead these 
many years, and has passed out of the memory of most 
persons, probably. And I remember also what is told us 
about speaking ill of the dead, or that we should main- 
tain silence, if good cannot be spoken. But this particu- 
lar dog cannot be forgotten or forgiven ; for why did he 
run at me so often, as I was innocently on my way to 
school, a little fellow with his little dinner basket on his 
arm, and his little dinner in it ? And why did he keep 
me on the top of the fence post, on a cold day in Novem- 
ber, overcome with fear, and expecting every moment to 
fall into his big jaws? 

If ever a good Samaritan showed his humanity, it 
was when the driver of a passing brick team drove off 
the monster and kindly set me at liberty. I'll not forgive 
the dog ! 

Mr. Capen was accustomed to sell his meat from the 
wagon, and so traveled up and down, accommodating peo- 
ple who lived away from the market, and good meat it 
was, too, and very particular he was about it. One day, 
it is related, that Hez. Burr, commonly called "Ki Burr," 
began inspecting and handling a nice leg of mutton, as if 
he were anxious to purchase. The patience of Mr. Capen 
was sorely tried at the delay, and the fingering, and so 
he brought matters to a close by saying : " Mr. Burr, do 
you mean to buy that mutton ? " Now Mr. Burr was not 



The West Side. 85 

as expeditions in business as some persons, and he re- 
plied, slowly : " No, I think not to-day ; " when Mr. 
Capen, seizing the meat, threw it into the street, without 
a word. 

Occasionally he would at night drive his horse in a 
sulky through the street at the top of his speed. Then 
there were shoutings and roarings, which made me trem- 
ble lying in bed. Frequently he would drive up to the 
very door of some whom he wished to please, or more 
likely to terrify. And on these occasions he would draw 
out his jews-harp, a monstrous affair, the like of which 
no boy ever saw, and playing a few tunes which could be 
heard over the whole neighborhood, end his serenade with 
yells which would excite the admiration of an Indian. 
His house is still standing, with some additions, on the 
south corner of Capen Street. 

There was an old and unoccupied house near the 
handsome elm tree in front of No. 933 Main Street, the 
residence of the late L. B. Hart. It was owned by 
Capt. George Cook, and had been occupied previously 
by Harris Olcott, his brother-in-law. It has been told 
me that some old residents remembered this tree when 
it was as large as one's leg ; a very common object of 
comparison, and only equaled in frequency when speak- 
ing of snakes, by saying that "it was as large as my 
arm." Miss Goodwin says that this house was formerly 
known as "Stocking's Inn." I have found no one who 
was aware of this, but within a few days George Cook 
tells me that thirty-five years ago there was in the 
barn of his uncle Moses a tavern sign, on which was 
painted "I. Stockings Inn."* 



*Note from John E. Marsh. 

" The tract of country between Clark and Vine Streets was mostly covered with 
woods. Where Capen Street now is there was only a private lane leading to and 
ending at Capen's slaughter-house, which stood about where Mr. Robert Cairnes' 
house now is, near the corner of Capen and Clark Streets. Just north of the 
slaughter-house was a tract of two or three acres, more or less, called the "Sand 
blow." Its surface was made up of patches of smooth, white sand, with here and 



86 Up Neck in 1825. 

We have now come to the School-house, which you 
and I both attended sixty-five or more years ago. An 
account of this, with a history of the district, will be 
given hereafter. 

About an eighth of a mile beyond the school-house 
was the cooper's shop of Samuel Beckivith ; his dwelling- 
house was near it. He was a deacon in the Baptist 
Church from 1790 to 1833, when he died. I never heard 
him called by any name but "Deacon Becket." If a 
stranger had inquired for Mr. Beckwith in, that neigh- 
borhood, he probably would have received as an answer, 
"No such person lives about here." In the same way 
Wadsworth was often pronounced "Wadsur," and Good- 
win almost universally "Goodin." "Say, Wadsur," said 
the deacon one day in the winter, as we were going 
into the woods, "say, bring me some hoop-poles when 
you come back, will you ? " 



there a white birch, scraggy apple tree, bunches of tall, coarse grass, and masses 
of low, running, blackberry vines. 

The locality was also a noted habitat of black snakes — the common black snake, 
Coluber constrictor; and his congener Coluber Aakgkaniensis, or racer, character- 
ized by a white ring about its neck. A resident of the neighborhood (my father, 
Guy C. Marsh), once attacked one of the latter of large size, and was in turn 
attacked by the snake and driven from the field. He used afterward to say that 
he never before believed that the black snake would attack a man, but this 
experience had soundly converted him. 

These stretches of clean, level sand afforded a favorite field for the larger 
boys of the neighborhood for playing base ball and 'two old cat,' especially on 
'Fast day,' when the weather was good." 

[The common name of racer is applied to both of these Colubers. Probably 
the latter is not found in Connecticut. Storer does not mention it in his descrip- 
tion of the reptiles of Massachusetts. DeKay, in his reptiles of New York, says 
that he has never seen it, though he has heard of it among the Highlands. Hol- 
brook, our most exact herpetologist, says that "its probable range extends through 
the Alleghanies." His description of the two reptiles shows very marked differ- 
ences. DeKay states "that hitherto it has been confounded with the ordinary 
black snake ; but it is at once distinguished from that species by the carinated 
scales." Neither of them have a white ring around the neck, but both of them 
have a white or yellowish white throat. We have no black snake with "a white 
ring about its neck," except a small species found about stone walls, or in damp 
woods, about twelve or fourteen inches in length. Both grow to a large size and great 
length, and run with great rapidity : sometimes they will attack a man, espe- 
cially Coluber constrictor, which is quite courageous. But the stories that were 
formerly told in the Neck about our black snake were marvelous. The snake 
attacks, the man runs, the snake follows with his head waist high, but never 
succeeds in reaching his victim ; the procession passes, its members keeping at 
the same distance from one another, until the snake, becoming wearied, drops 
behind! R.] 



The West Side. 87 

Next to him was Theodore Spencer, a blacksmith 
whose shop was on the low ground at the corner of 
the road leading- to Blue Hills, a very worthy man, a 
good blacksmith, and a soldier — "artificer" — of the Rev- 
olution. Benjamin Spencer lived next to him. These 
three houses were on the high ground now occupied 
by General Hillyer. 

The road, which is now called Westland Street, 
doubtless had a specific name, but is not remembered by 
me. Miss Goodwin thought it was called Abbe's Lane, 
from a man of that name who lived in a small house 
on the west. I recollect " Deaf Abbe " very well ; he 
was accustomed to travel through the Neck, stopping 
for a day or so in a place, or more if there was rye 
to be threshed. His wife had got the better of him in 
a little affair, and knocked him on the head with an 
axe, so that afterwards he was very nearly deaf, and 
almost demented. I think the boys teased him some- 
what, as is their nature with such poor creatures.* 

There was no house farther north, until we come 
to that of John Sheldon, a man of few words but of 
strong opinions. One who knew him says that the boys 
were all remarkable for their great strength. One day 
Strong Mather, having had some difficulty with them, 
came down and said to him that he was about to give 
them a flogging. "Now look here," said John, "you 
see that little fellow" — the late Henry Sheldon — "sit- 
ting on that stool ; don't touch him, but you may tackle 
the rest as soon as you please." And Mr. M. went 
away. Next to Mr. Sheldon lived Asa Goodwin. Near 
the north end were Timothy Marsh, John Millard, and 
Edward Marsh. 



* Mr. Thomas Sisson informs me, that he remembers Abbe well ; he traveled 
through West Hartford helping the farmers in reaping, threshing, and dressing 
flax. He was troubled with everted and granular eyelids, which led the boys 
of the west division to ask him where he got such eyes. " Up to Grandison Bar- 
ber's, picking up potatoes, and I got cow-lice in 'em." But the bad eyes were 
more likelv due to hard cider. 



88 Up Neck in 1825. 

This completes the list of persons living on both 
sides of the road to Windsor, from the present Tunnel 
to the Hartford line on the north. There ma3^ be some 
living who can, or think they can, detect inaccuracies, 
but for the year 1825 it is believed to be essentially 
correct. 



VI. 



THE DISTRICT SCHOOL. 




w 1 



. THE SCHOOL-HOUSE OF 1803. 

"E have now come to the school-house, a place long 
to be remembered, and always of interest. Mr. 
Hoadly tells me that in 1761 the town was divided 
into two school districts, one north and one south of the 
Little River, and this continued until 1798, when the North 
district was divided into three separate districts. The act 
which passed the Assembly May 28, 1798, specifies the 
limits of this particular district as follows : " Beginning 
at the point where the city line strikes Connecticut River, 
then running due west to Brick-kiln Brook, and then fol- 
lowing the brook north to the Windsor line." This was 
to be called the First North School District, and was a 
very large one, being about two and a quarter or two and 
a half miles in length, from Belden's Lane to Windsor ; 
and a very wide one also, extending from the Connecti- 
cut River to the run now called Gully Brook. The people, 



The District School. 91 

however, lived mostly on both sides of the road to Wind- 
sor. Though you, Mr. A. E. B., resided on the Albany 
road, yet, being east of Brick-kiln Brook, you fell into this 
district, and so went to the school-house " Up Neck," 
where the foundations of a good common education were 
laid for you and many others. 

The record book of the clerk, which is now before 
me, commences as follows : " The Records and Entries of 
the dooings of the 1st North Scool district, in Hartford, 
November 12, 1798." A meeting was held on the 16th of 
the same month, at which Captain John Cook was chosen 
moderator, Roger Wadsworth, clerk, Captain James Good- 
win, " Treashurer " ; and Captain James Goodwin, John 
Sheldon, and Theodore Spencer, "Committy." A few days 
later it was " Voted, that there be a Publick Scool kept 
by a good able Teacher, or Scool Master to begin as soon 
as may be from the present time (21st.) & End the 1st 
of April 1799." 

And it did begin, I suppose, about that time, for there 
is an entry in the treasurer's book April 3, 1799, of cash 
paid " Horris Hayden, Scool Master 46.00." and of "cash 
paid for Boarding Scool Master, 28.00." 

A temporary house had been used, but it seems to 
have been difficult to fix upon a permanent location, and 
so application was made to the selectmen ; for, at a town 
meeting, April 8, 1798, it was " Voted that the Selectmen 
be authorized to fix upon & set out a proper place for 
a school house in the North School district in this Town 
in the highway leading to Windsor where it will be least 
prejudicial to the public Travel, with the consent & ap- 
probation of the owners of the lands adjacent." 

It does not appear that any action was taken by them, 
or that the district could agree upon a location, for after 
several votes that a school-house be built, and encounter- 
ing the usual difficulties in treating the same, there is, 



9 2 



Up Neck in 1825. 



upon record, the report of Joseph 
Hart, John Caldwell, and Enoch 
Perkins, who, living out of the dis- 
trict, were supposed to be not inter- 
ested in the matter, and they say, 
December 21, 1799, that they "fix 
upon the place herein after de- 
scribed for the purpose aforesaid, 
viz. : Beginning 4 feet north of a 
Building erected by number of sub- 
scribers for a school house in said 
district, and thence extending south 
ninety feet — The front of Isaac 
Prat's lot to be the west line of 
said place, and the east line thereof 
to be at such distance from front 
of said Prat's lot as may be found 
convenient for the erecting said 
school-house on distance not to ex- 
ceed forty feet." Although the lo- 
cation was thus established, it does 
not appear that direct efforts were 
made to build until April 14, 1803, 
when the following vote was passed: 
That " Aaron Cook, - Leonard Ken- 
nedy, James Goodwin, James An- 
derson, Samuel Beckwith, William 
Goodwin, and Roger Wadsworth be 
a committy to prepare a plan for a 
Scool house and lay it before the 
next meeting, with the necessary 
Expense of Building." And on the 
25th of April, it was " Voted, this 
District Build a Brick vScool house 
that will accomidate the district ac- 
cording to the Further Directions of 
Size & Heidth & form of Ruff." 
And on the 3d day of May of the 
same year it was 



i 



\ 



> 



U .1 



The District School. 



93 



The various votes passed at the different meetings 
since the organization of this " First North School District " 
specify that the school shall be kept by a "master" for 
four or five months during the winter season, usually 
four months ; and by a " mistriss " or "marm" during the 
summer, usually for five months. Horace Hayden was the 
first teacher, and was paid $46 ; $28 was paid for his board. 
This was for four months. On the 28th day of March, 
1799, it was 

" Voted, that their be a Scool kept 5 months the Ensuing Summer 
in the 1st North School district in Hartford, to begin the 13th day of 
May next, to be kept by a Woman or Marm as Teacher of sd scool." 

Elsey Hall was the "marm," and she was paid $40 in 
different sums between December 11, 1799, and October 
21, 1800. The furniture for the school — aside from desks 
and benches, I suppose — was rather limited, for there is 
found upon the treasurer's book only a disbursement of 
39 cents for a " pail and dipper," and 20 cents for a 
" Broom." 

As the building stood in the highway, no land was 
purchased for the site ; but I find that in November, 1807, 
it was 

" Voted, that George Wadsworth and Leonard Kennedy act as 
agents for said district, and apply to the selectmen of the Town of 
Hartford for a Deed of the Land on which the school-house now 
stands." 

Not unfrequently repairs were required upon the 
building, and votes were passed providing for payment of 
the same. It is not possible to ascertain what these were, 
except in the matter of broken glass. In March, 181 1, 
it was 

" Voted, That if any Damage be done by the scholers to the 
School House in sd District they or their parrants Masters or Guard- 
eans shall Make it good." 

This was the school which we both attended in 1825, 
and where we both learned something, I hope, and believe 



94 Up Neck in 1825. 

we did, beyond the three " R's," "readin, ritin, and rith- 
metic," and spelling. 

I remember no other instruction attempted ; possibly 
geography, but not to my recollection. When one finds 
himself well founded in these elements of education, he is 
well fitted for what may come afterwards. There was 
one other item of a boy's education, however, not usually 
learned so much in the school-house as out of it ; and 
that should be included in the R's also, viz., "rastlin." It 
well took its place among us in that day, and was as 
valuable and creditable as are the various games of the 
present time, considered necessary before a boy enters 
college ; and to be prosecuted vigorously, boisterously, and 
brutally afterwards also. If we did not make as much 
fuss about our little exercises, neither did we consider it 
necessary to learn about " rushers, half-backs, and full 
back," nor to " paint the town red " after our contests. 

Let us look at the record of the clerk at a meeting 
held on October 27, 1825, and at an adjourned meeting on 
November 1st. It was 

" Voted, that Mr. John Russell be Moderator of this meeting. 

"That the Auditor's doings of examining the Treasurer's Book 
be allowed. 

"That there be a School kept by a Master five months the En- 
suing winter. 

"That Richard Sheldon, Geo. Cook, Abner P. Wadsworth be a 
Committee the Ensuing year. 

"That the Master board around with the scholars. 

"That each scholar furnish ten feet of ceasend hard wood or 
green walnut or white ash to be inspected by the Master." 

William Kirkham, of Newington, was the " Master." 
It was a lucky time for the boys, when he came to the 
house, in his " boarding around;" we were certain of re- 
ceiving an extra allowance of cake and preserves. I judge 
from conversation which was heard at that time, that he 
had a preference for some families over others, in his 
peregrinations. He went home on Saturday, but returned 



The District School. 95 

on Monday morning, in time for opening the school at 9 
o'clock. 

The long blue camlet cloak which he wore must have 
been but a poor protection as he came up past Cedar 
Mountain, over Rocky Hill, through the city and into the 
Neck, on some of the winter mornings ; for I suppose 
that in earlier times, and even at that time, the people 
generally were not as well clad as at present. He usually 
opened the school with prayer, and was diligent in pre- 
serving order at the same time. If any boy was unruly, 
or did not pay sufficient attention, he did not hesitate to 
remind him of his duty by a tap upon his head with a 
ferrule, the praying being continued at the same time and 
without hesitancy, as if no interruption had occurred. 

I have before me a writing-book of some scholar 
which afterwards belonged to him. At the top of 
the page is written, in a neat hand, different sentences, 
which have been copied, some down the full page, 
others only partially so. The vacant spaces appear to 
have been filled in with various matters which concerned 
him, at different periods of his life. He was evidently a 
professional school-master, for the entries mention New- 
ington, Wethersfield, Farmington, and Springfield where 
he taught ; and there is one district which is not specified 
which I judge from the names of the pupils to be Gris- 
woldville. There is an entry that he began keeping the 
North District School in Hartford, November, 1824, '25, 
'26, and '27, for the winter term of five months. He re- 
cords the names of forty boys and forty-three girls for 
the term of 1826. I recognize the names of the following 
only as now living : Edward Waterman, Edward Church, 
Charles Mather, Timothy Mather, and Ruth Olcott, who 
married Lot Sheldon. There are some brief notes of a 
diary, which show him to have been a man of a reflective 
mind, and together with the various texts in the copy 
books, possibly morbidly religious. There are charges for 
various jobs which he did for his neighbors. He was evi- 



96 Up Neck in 1825. 

dently engaged in some work at the mill pond, in the 
south part of the parish, for there are charges for repairing 
the still, and for carding rolls, and occasionally for the 
sale of brandy, at 12^ cents per quart. On one page the 
pupil had written the line which had been set him to 
copy, nearly to the bottom of the page, viz.: " Let us, while 
blest with life and health, prepare for Death." There 
was room under it, however, for the following charge : 

"Dr. Archibald Hall to "William Kirkham, Dr. November 20, 
1828, To 1 Gall. Brandy, high pf." 

The price is not mentioned, but " paid" is marked 
against it. 

Roger Welles is charged September, 1826, "for the 
use of the still 2 nights is pr night, .34." I am in- 
formed that there was a distillery for cider brandy and a 
woolen factory at the mill pond at one time. The book is 
a curiosity. 

Some years after the time about which I am writing, 
when the Arsenal School District was organized, he was 
negotiating with the committee, Timothy Sheldon and 
Moses Burr, about being employed as a teacher. " Shall I 
be obliged to board around," asked Mr. Kirkham. " Yes, 
you will," said Timothy. " Well, I know what that means," 
he answered, " I shall be obliged to live on squn all win- 
ter." Now what is sgun, and what is the origin of the 
word ? It was unknown to me, and never heard before, 
though my authority for the anecdote said that it was 
formerly in use up neck. Mr. Starkweather was familiar 
with it, and so was George Cook, but many of whom 
inquiries were made knew nothing about it. 

When the farmer kills his hogs, it is customary to fry 
on the same day, or the next, certain portions for the 
family dinner, consisting of the liver, pancreas or sweet 
bread, round robin, and perhaps the kidneys ; possibly 
some of the thoracic viscera also. This was called SQUN. 
All the hogs in the district would not be killed at the 
same time, but would be kept and sacrificed one after 



The District School. 97 

another, for the fresh meat for the master as he came to 
board with the different families. So we can understand 
how pathetic the exclamation of Mr. Kirkham was, as he 
saw before him his daily winter ration. I think he did 
not engage with that committee. It is possible to have 
too much of squn. 

Considerable attention was also given to spelling, the 
book of Noah Webster being used ; and here, as well as 
in reading, the girls were always superior to the boys. 
The writing was from copy, furnished by the master, in 
books of our own purchase ; some of them were blotted, 
and more than slightly ; and in most of them the letters 
were not gracefully formed. What could be expected from 
boys who only attended for four or at most five months 
in the year, and that, too, very irregularly ? For the ser- 
vices of many were required at home, in helping their 
fathers during the winter as well as summer, in different 
portions of farm work. However desirous the parents 
might be that their sons should acquire an education, 
there was the counteracting necessity of provision for the 
home ; and further, I do not think there was such a re- 
gard for the constant attendance of the pupil as at 
present. They had been brought up in this way them- 
selves, and naturally thought it was sufficient for their 
children. And in addition to all this, the distance from 
the school-house was so great for many, that the mothers 
were reluctant to send them out, on very stormy or cold 
days. In deep snows, when the only pathway was the 
traveled road, it was severe upon the little ones, and those 
who were feeble, and there were feeble ones then as well 
as now, though we are apt to say that the children of 
those clays were " as tough as pine knots." Those who 
survived their exposures were "tough," but too many went 
down under the trial. As a consequence the school was 
irregularly attended, and the scholars did not make the 
progress which they ought. But upon the whole, the com- 
mon school fulfilled its purpose tolerably well and gave 
*3 



Up Neck in 1825. 



the prime elements of an education, to be enlarged if 
there was a desire, or future opportunity, and it may be 
fairly questioned whether there was for the majority a 
greater desire, or a further opportunity. There is this to 
be said also, that there was no opportunity for complaint 
of a multiplication of studies, and as far as I know no 
injury to tender brains from undue mental pressure ; there 
is something to be learned aside from what is learned in 
books. 

All writing was done with the common quill ; where 
geese were kept, the home supply was sufficient. To make 
a proper pen was quite an art, and the master was pen- 
maker for nearly the whole school. His knife was small 
and sharp, and so he was called upon, for the " nib " 
needed repairs very often. The " Barlow " knife, which 
every boy was supposed to have in his pocket, was too 
large for this purpose, and then its edge was blunted from 
frequent hackings of the desk or bench ; and, further, 
there was great satisfaction in calling upon the master for 
this service, and a great deal more of satisfaction if a 
dozen called his attention at the same time. The copies 
were the usual ones, simple letters, words, and sentences ; 
" Contentment is great gain ; " " Children, obey your 
parents ; " " Many men of many minds, many birds of 
many kinds ; many fishes in the sea, many men do not 
agree ; " which was especially truthful as regards the man- 
agement of a district school. One day, taking home my 
copy-book for the admiration of my father, I was surprised 
to see that he did not examine it with pleasure, which was 
a great disappointment, for it was clean ; only one blot 
upon the page, and, as it appeared to me, fairly written. 
It was not the writing, but the copy, which troubled him. 
Good Mr. Kirkham had perhaps a disputation with some 
perverse neighbor, on a Sunday night, before he came up 
from Newington, and had eased his mind by giving me as 
a copy a text from Proverbs xix, 29, slightly altered : 



The District School. 99 

"Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the 
backs of UniverscUists" 

My father had that proper sense of justice which re- 
volts at a misquotation of the Bible, and of the endeavor 
in a public school to cast reproach upon those of different 
religious opinions. For while it is impossible, and not 
necessary in a common school, to teach the specific beliefs 
of all Christians, it is yet possible and advisable so to in- 
struct our children that they may have a general knowl- 
edge of God our Maker and Christ our Saviour. Without 
it, our common schools are verily "godless schools," and 
we are subject to the reproach which is sometimes cast 
upon us. Our courts of law are opened with prayer, and 
so are our legislative assemblies, and without being con- 
sidered an infringement upon personal rights. The child- 
ren surely can bear a reminder of their duties, and are 
not likely to be made worse by it. 

On Saturdays we were examined in the " New Eng- 
land Primer," and questioned on our knowledge of the 
"Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Divines." I do 
not know that it did us any harm, though I cannot now 
measure the exact amount of good. Dr. Humphries, in 
his preface to one edition of the Primer, says of the 'objec- 
tion " that the doctrines are above the comprehension of 
children at the tender age when it is used to be committed 
and recited," proceeds upon the assumption that it is no 
advantage to learn anything earlier than it can be fully 
understood ; about which there are doubtless various 
opinions. We were also required to learn some verses of 
a moral or religious thought, and to copy them into our 
writing-books. And I recall especially that glorious nine- 
teenth psalm of David, which for years could be repeated, 
which will do one no harm, but will be good to remember. 

There were one or two negro boys who attended 
school, and sat apart from the other scholars, in the south 
east corner of the house. 



ioo Up Neck in 1825. 

It was especially enjoined upon ns to "show our 
manners" when we' met people in the road, especially 
those who were riding. So, if a number of us were 
gathered together, we were arranged by its side, to salute 
by bow or curtesy those who were passing. Some years 
since I saw the same custom in passing a school-house 
where the children were at play, at noon, in England, 
between Penzance and the Land's End. It has lasted 
longer in the land of its birth than in the land of its 
adoption. 

An old English spelling-book once fell into my hands, 
in which was this inscription : 

"Steal not this book for fear of shame, 
For here you see the owner's name." 

This couplet was doubtless brought over by the early 
colonists, and we of the First North School District felt 
bound to make frequent record of the same. Whatever 
necessity there may have been for this timely caution 
may have arisen from the scarcity of books and the diffi- 
culty of procuring them. But with us there were no such 
reasons, for they were plenty and cheap. Noah Webster's 
spelling-book could be purchased for a shilling ; for a 
Connecticut shilling, remember. It was the following of 
an ancient custom which often lasts longer than the occa- 
sion for it exists. The spelling of this warning was often 
different from the above, and capital letters were distrib- 
uted indiscriminately through it. 

The books used were the Columbian Orator, the 
American Preceptor, and the " Introduction," as it was 
called, for reading books. Occasionally the scholars would 
read in the Bible, one verse at a time, one jumping up 
as the other sat down, the sense and benefit of the read- 
ing being wholly destroyed by the blundering and hesi- 
tancy over the hard words. To some it was an easy task, 
and as readily performed as by advanced scholars at the 
present day ; but by others, what hagglings, and twistings, 



The District School. ioi 

and shifting of position, from one foot to another, and 
slow spelling of words before they were pronounced ! 
Daboll's arithmetic was in general use, with its computa- 
tions in pounds, shillings, and pence, as well as in dollars 
and cents. A very common saying of the boys was — 

"Addition is vexation, Subtraction is as bad, 
The Rule of Three does puzzle me 
And Practice makes me mad." 

The discipline of the school was not what would be 
called mild and paternal. Punishments were often and 
severe, for trivial offenses, and for no offenses at all, as 
you know, Mr. Burr. The ferule lay handy upon the mas- 
ter's desk ; if it was never broken, it was because it was 
of hard wood and did not become decrepit from age. An 
apple-tree switch was also a favorite instrument, and a 
good deal of service could be got out of it, if it was 
green and supple. I never saw or heard of rattan or a 
raw-hide being used here ; but afterwards in the Center 
School, or "Stone Jug," in Dorr Street, — well, well, — 
there are some unruly boys, and some cruel, very cruel 
men. Nothing can be said in vindication of such treat- 
ment, except that it was the custom. One day Mr. Kirk- 
ham sent me out to gather some apple sprouts, for his 
own use ; an orchard on the west afforded a good sup- 
ply. But before they were delivered into his hands a 
thoughtful consideration of the matter led to their being 
half cut through, and thus very effectually weakened. I 
did not know whose back they were intended to fit. 
Upon the whole, however, I escaped very mildly, because 
of my belief in obeying rules, and only whispering, or 
laughing, or using pins upon my neighbor, when it could 
not be helped. 

There was one form of punishment which injured 
the feelings more than it did the body, and that was 
seating the offending boy among the girls. Why this 
should have been so seriously taken to heart is not clear ; 



io2 Up Neck in 1825. 

the boy survives it, and desires to repeat it in his man- 
hood ; so something- of good comes from early instruction 
in the common school, besides a knowledge of the West- 
minster Catechism. 

The school committee were saving of the money of 
the district, and so the boys in turn for a week or for a 
few days were required to open the house, sweep it out, 
make the fire, and put it in order for the day. As this 
took some time, they were obliged to leave home early in 
the morning, and the task was not a small one if they 
lived at a distance and the weather was cold and stormy. 
If none of the carefully covered coals of the previous day 
were alive, it was necessary to "borrow" some from Cap- 
tain Cook, who taught me it was better to put the coals 
upon the wood, rather than under it. 

If, as sometimes happens, this was not dry, and was 
of poor quality, there was still more difficulty in starting 
the fire ; and then there was necessary foraging in the 
woodhouse of Nathan Wadsworth or Captain Cook for 
kindling materials, which were readily furnished. The 
wood question must have caused considerable debate in 
the school meetings, for there are many votes about it, 
both specifying that it shall be hard wood and that 
the master shall measure and inspect it. Early in 
the century ten feet was required from each scholar ; 
afterwards eleven feet, and then twelve, to be brought 
when the scholars began. It is evident that this method 
was not satisfactory, and the contract system was tried. 
Return S. Mather agreed, in October, 181 7, to furnish 
eight cords, of two feet in length, at $2.50 per cord, 
"being the loest bidder;" next year "sixteen shillings" 
were paid. In 1829 eleven feet were required from 
each scholar, " to be seasoned, and to be hard wood or 
green walnut or white ash in Lue thereof, or forty cents 
in Money;" and "that Each Scholer deliver his wood or 
Money when they Commence the school." Originally the 
wood was required to be three feet in length, and prob- 



The District School. 103 

ably there was a chimney with a fire-place large enough 
to receive it. But it is evident that a spirit of inquiry was 
abroad, and that new methods of heating were being dis- 
cussed, for in 1813 the committee were directed to " Enquire 
& Report to an adjourned Meeting the Expense of a Stove 
& chimney as proposed by them at the meeting." This 
was on the 21st of October. It was a momentous ques- 
tion, and must be grappled with at once; the district rose 
to the occasion, and on the 25 th passed the following 
votes : 

" Voted, That there be a Chimney built to Receive the Stove 
pipe. 

" Voted, That there be a francklin Stove and pipe erected in the 
sd School Hous this Ensuing fall. 

" Voted, That the School Committee Buy a Stove and pipe and 
have it Erected the Ensuing fall." 

Very likely the stove was soon erected after this pos- 
itive order, though there is no record concerning it on 
the treasurer's book until January 16, 1815, when there is 
an entry " Pade Ward & Bartholomew for a stove, $36.42." 
This was, doubtless, the " francklin Stove " which was 
there ten years later, when I learned how to build a fire. 
This stove — the "francklin" — did good service, until 1832, 
when it was 

' ' / 'oted, that the Committee Exchange the now preasent stove at 
the School House & get a Box Stove that is Sutable for a School 
House." 

I must confess to quite an affection for this old stove, 
and to a historical interest in the minute directions con- 
cerning it. In 1833 there was received "from E. Marsh 
2.87 for the old stove." 

Previous to this time desks were placed against the 
side of the house, and the scholars sat upon long benches 
facing the wall. But at an adjourned meeting, October 7, 
1824, it was 

" Voted, That the sd school-house be made into Slips." 



104 Up Neck in 1825. 

And then there were desks on the east and west sides, 
with a passageway of a few feet in the middle of the room, 
at the north end of which was the desk of the master, and 
at the south the door of entrance. Here and there, where 
room could be found, were short and low benches for the 
small scholars ; the " francklin stove " was in the middle. 

The building stood in the highway, but abutted upon 
" the front of Isaac Prat's lot " ; the exact location was 
at the junction of Elmer Street with Windsor road, though 
the present street line has been advanced to the east 
from the former one. The dimensions have already been 
given, thirty feet in length, twenty-two in width, and nine 
feet in height. Not a very large school-house for so ex- 
tensive a district, and for the large number of children 
that were in it. There is nothing in the records which 
indicates the number in attendance, but the house was 
full, crowded beyond anything which would be allowed at 
present. There must have been sixty at least, of boys 
and girls, in about equal proportion. Mr. John E. Marsh, 
who was a pupil some years later, thinks he has seen as 
many as seventy-five there. About five feet of the south 
end was partitioned from the school-room, and was used 
for hanging caps, coats, shawls, etc., and occasionally for 
storing wood ; this latter, however, often lay outside, to 
be a torment to the boy who started the fire in the morn- 
ing. Deduct the entrance hall of five feet, together with 
the thickness of the walls and the partition and furring 
and plastering, and we shall have a room of about twenty- 
three by twenty feet. Now let any of the boys in the 
Brown School, who are enjoying a paradise under Mr. 
Barrows, calculate the number of cubic feet in the room, 
and see how little air space each scholar had. The room 
was kept extremely hot ; day after day I went home with 
a headache, and, though a little fellow, thought to myself, 
" Shall I always have these headaches, if I grow up to be 
a man?" No one seemed to suspect that it was the viti- 



The District School. 105 

ated air which produced it ; fortunately we had a recess, 
and this helped us wonderfully. 

In the summer the condition was much better ; there 
were fewer scholars, perhaps thirty or forty, and the win- 
dows were frequently open. A woman was the teacher, 
and the term lasted for five months ; the big boys were 
at home, so there were no rough sports, and we enjoyed a 
quiet, comfortable, profitable school. Miss Abigail A. Good- 
win was the teacher in 1824, and my recollections of her 
are very pleasant; she died only a short time tince. At the_ 
close of the season there was something attempted in 
the way of examinations and speaking, very much after the 
manner of our public High School, but not quite reaching 
its standard. There was selected for me an extract from 
Home's tragedy of Douglass, commencing, " My name is 
Norval." It is doubtful if the performance had the full 
force and spirit of the original. The district was not rich, 
and so paid Miss Goodwin only thirty-three dollars and 
thirty-three cents for her services. 

I never knew or heard of any of those personal con- 
tests between the teacher and the larger boys, of which 
we sometimes hear an account. There were doubtless 
difficulties occasionally at the school meetings, though of 
this there is no positive record, except that the votes of 
a previous meeting are rescinded without a seeming reason 
to us. Perfect harmony does not prevail in our day, and 
we can probably show as much obstinacy and self-will as 
did any of our ancestors. The noisy and quarrelsome 
time of a school meeting is proverbial. When Charles 
Wells was in Washington and visited the House of Rep- 
resentatives, he is reported to have said, that " he thought 
he was in a meeting of the South School District." 

I find that generally, the expenses were paid by the 

public money, and by taxes laid by the district ; but it is 

not a good indication that there are a few instances in 

which the school was only " kept as long as the public 

money shall last." 
14 



106 Up Neck in 1825. 

The taxes of some persons, which were small in 
amount, were frequently abated. In October, 181 2, it was 

" Voted, that Cuff negro tax of 48-100 be abated in the hands of 
Samuel Beckwith to collect." 

There is a record of a curious matter which occurred 
at a " School Meeting Legally Warned and held by the 
Inhabitants, at the School House." The two votes have 
but a few words, but they are suggestive. 

" Voted, That the School Master read a paragraph before this 
meeting. 

" Voted, That the Master be dismissed from keeping a School in 
this district." 

If it is said that there has been unnecessary minute- 
ness of description and personal history in this account 
of the district and its school, it may be replied that it 
is well to contrast the conditions of to-day with those 
of sixty-five years ago. Though this school was on the 
outskirts of the town, yet the inhabitants were in many 
respects as primitive as those of the country. Money 
was not plenty, and neither for themselves nor their 
children could it be spent extravagantly. What little 
they obtained made them careful in its expenditure, 
and perhaps gave them as much happiness as its abun- 
dance now gives to us. The men and women were to 
be judged by the time in which they lived, not by any 
standards or comparisons of our own. If we know much 
more of many things, they knew quite as much of 
a lesser number, and were most of them as well or 
better satisfied with their condition in life. Without 
doubt there was a greater respect for honest labor and 
industrious habits than unfortunately now obtains. The 
newer is not always the better. 

As a part of the history of this district it may be 
stated that the General Assembly in 1833 created out of 
it the Arsenal School district, described as "lying south 
of the south line of Josiah Capen, jr., and Henry 



The District School. 107 

Capen's house lot, extending said line east to Connecti- 
cut River, and west to the west line of the present 
district." The old school-house was thus left very near 
the southern boundary of the district, which was not 
at all in accordance with the traditional idea which 
would locate the school-house in the geographical center, 
without reference to the convenience of the many. And 
hence in many towns we may now see a school-house, 
in an unsettled region in the highway, or perhaps in 
a patch of woods, solitary and alone, desolate in appear- 
ance, often battered and neglected, with not a single 
habitation near it. But then it is in the center of the 
district ; the knotty question is discussed again and 
again, whenever and wherever a new school-house is 
to be built. 

So it was to be expected that the First North School 
district would seek another location, which was very 
proper here, and on the 26th of March, 1834, it was 

" Voted, That Return S. Mather, George Cook, Joseph Pratt, 
be a Committee to assart what the present School Housh in sd Dis- 
trict will sell for, & what a New one Can be Built for, & what a 
spot of Ground in or near the Center of sd District will Caust & Mak 
thre report to the Nex meeting." 

A new location was found up in Middlesex, and soon 
the old brick school-house was torn down. If after 
laboring for a third of a century it had accomplished 
no more in education than is shown by the above 
resolution, it was time to depart to other fields, in 
sorrow perhaps, in indignation certainly. 

It must be admitted that the writing of the clerks 
of this district was very poor, and that the spelling was 
exceedingly incorrect. It was perhaps a fair specimen 
of the education of a majority of the men at that time, 
and of all the time since the settlement of the colony. 
Whoever examines the writing and spelling of many old 
records, the account books which now occasionally fall 
into our hands, or the bills against debtors with their 



io8 Up Neck in 1825. 

items, will see how imperfectly the common man was edu- 
cated. He could speak better than he could write, and 
could transact his ordinary business understanding^ and 
with facility ; when it came to putting his words upon 
paper, he too often failed in doing it in a scholarly 
manner. The few months of schooling which he had 
received in winter were not enough for that correctness 
which comes from study and constant practice. The 
early records of the Arsenal district show no improve- 
ment of the records of the First North. The children 
of our later days, doubtless, both write and spell words 
better, but it is to be feared that many of them will 
be found to fail in those very essential parts of a com- 
mon school education. If the habit is not acquired 
early in life, very likely it will not be acquired at all. 
An opportunity for examining specimens of writing 
from nearly all of the States in our Union, shows how 
curiously words can be misspelled, even by men whose 
penmanship is satisfactory. 

Some of our old records are wonderfully correct ; 
the ink retains its blackness — much better it is thought 
than some of our own will a hundred years hence. 
These clerks were generally educated men, scholars, 
learned in business, and proficient in writing. When 
such a man was found, he was retained in his office, 
because he was useful to the State, to the town, or 
the church, and too valuable an officer to be sacrificed 
as a victim to political reward. 

Talking this matter over with Judge J. H. White 
the other day, he spoke particularly of the neatness 
and correctness of the records as kept by some of our 
ancient clerks, and handed me the following memoran- 
dum concerning John Allyn, who held various offices 
acceptably for a long time.* 



* Capt. John Allyn was one of the most useful men in the Colony. He was 
town clerk of Hartford 1659-1696, Magistrate 1662, Secretary of the Colony 1663- 
1665, again from 1667 to 1695, Custodian of the Charter with Saml. Wyllis and 



The District School. 109 

The result of all this discussion would seem to be, 
that our children should be more thoroughly instructed in 
the prime elements of education, so that in their future 
lives, whether they become professional men or farmers, 
or mechanics, they should be as well learned as time and 
application and capability will make them. 

It is necessary to add but little more. Society, which 
which had been in a transition state for some years, was 
beginning to settle down in its new forms. The limita- 
tions of business, and the constrained habits of economy, 
were giving way to more extended intercourse with the 
world, and a greater diffusion of money. While it was 
difficult to give up old and familiar customs, and habits 
of thought, yet these were gradually disappearing under 
more general education, under that happy foresight which 
enables some men to discover that which is good in that 
which is new ; and, perhaps, more than in all, in the 
coming in of a new generation, with fresh ideas and im- 
pulses, untrameled with too severe recollections of the 
past. If in all this there is not as much of the austerity, 
or outward demonstration of religion, there is probably 
quite as much of true happiness and consciousness of 
our duty to our fellow men and to our God. 

In our increasing wealth lies a very great danger. 
Forgetting our responsibilities, we are liable to the temp- 
tation of thinking only of ourselves, and so neglect those 



John Talcott, and the universal scribe or recording officer of his time, not only 
keeping the' records of the colonial courts and of the town but deputized to keep the 
records of an adjoining town until some competent person could be found to attend 
to that business. His writing was very compact and somewhat cramped in style, 
but always legible. In making up the records of the judgments of the courts, 
especially in criminal cases, he sometimes indulged himself in a bit of grim 
humor, as when a culprit had been committed to gaol, and also condemned to a 
whipping, Capt. Allyn entered up the court record thus: "that the said A. B. 
stand committed to the common gaol during the court's pleasure, and that he be 
entertained with the accustomed welcome which in such cases are given, and 
that the marshal and one of the constables are to see that it be severely given 
forthwith." 

He was buried in the center burying ground, and his epitaph, Here lies interred 
the body of Honorable Lieut. Col. John Allyn, who served his Generation in the 
capacity of Magistrate, Secretary of Colony of Conn., 34 years, who dyed Nov. 
6. 1606. 



no Up Neck in 1825. 

habits of labor and economy which have honored those 
gone before us. If there ever was a nation in this world 
whose conceptions of the dignity of industry and true 
economy should be of the highest character, that nation 
is ours. 

This chapter cannot better be closed than by quoting 
from a discourse of the Rev. Dr. Horace Bushnell on the 
" Age of Homespun," delivered before the Litchfield County 
Agricultural Society in 1851 : 

"On thing at least I hope, that in these illustrations I have made 
some impression on you all of the dignity of work. How magnificent 
an honor it is, for the times gone by, that when so many schemes are 
on foot, as now, to raise the weak ; when the friends of the dejected 
classes of the world are proposing even to reorganize society itself 
for their benefit, trying to humanize punishments, to kindle hope in 
disability, and nurse depravity into a condition of comfort, — a distinc- 
tion how magnificent ! — that our fathers and mothers of the century 
past had, in truth, no dejected classes, no disability, only here and 
there a drone of idleness, or a sporadic case of vice and poverty ; ex- 
celling in the picture of social comfort and well-being actually realized 
the most romantic visions of our new seers. . . . Your condition 
will hereafter be softened and your comforts multiplied. Let your 
culture be as much advanced. But let no delicate spirit that despises 
work grow up in your sons and daughters. . . . Fear God and 
keep His commandments, as your godly fathers and mothers did before 
you, and found, as we have seen, to be the beginning of wisdom." 



VII. 
THE NORTH MEADOW. 

TTl HE Hartford North Meadow has always been noted as 
.) \ being valuable for tillage and pasturage ; the owners 
are many, and the parcels of land are generally small. 
The farmers on the uplands are anxious to hold them, as 
they are kept fertile by the annual overflow from the 
river and are easily cultivated. The fences are few, and 
the whole tract is quite level, and comprises about one 
thousand acres. The river bank is being gradually washed 
away on the north, towards Windsor, but land is added 
lower down, and an island is forming on the east side of 
the river just above the Great bridge. The bank was, 
within the memory of many, near the middle of the river, 
where the encroachment is the greatest, and yet here 
great logs may be discovered in the bank at low water 
mark, at least ten or fifteen feet below the land above 
them, drifted there a long time ago, showing that the 
river at one time ran much farther west than at present. 
Most of the sand used in masonry in the city is brought 
from the drift just above the New England railroad 
bridge. Formerly the masons used mostly the yellowish 
sand, found at the different places in the Neck, but the 
brick-makers used generally, I think, that which was found 
near their kilns, of a lighter color and purer silex. The 
brick and mortar of a hundred years since were not at all 
inferior to the present manufacture. If one attempts to 
drive a nail in the mortar of our old buildings, he meets 
with much more resistance than in most of our modern 
ones. Possibly the composition of the mortar itself was 
different, for the walls laid in it were not easily thrown 



ii2 Up Neck in 1825. 

down, and the bricks held together in great masses as they 
were tumbled from their beds. It was no easy matter to 
overthrow the old Jonathan Law house, nor the building 
south of James B. Hosmer, nearly opposite. So thoroughly 
were the bricks bedded, and so excellent was the composi- 
tion of the mortar, that they did not become clean as soon 
as they reached the ground. 

After the crops in the Meadow are gathered, it is 
"opened" for common use by the proprietors, for pastur- 
age, for " Neat or Horned cattle " only.* A meeting is 
called to set a day of "opening," usually about the twen- 
tieth of October. A committee is appointed to examine 
the amount of feed upon the land of each owner, and to 
fix upon the number of " rights " to be allowed him ; but 
every one, however small a piece of land he may own, is 
entitled to one right. The number of cattle each one can 
"put in " is governed by the number of rights he possesses, 
and these rights by the number of acres belonging to him. 
They must all be marked with the initials of the owner's 
name two inches in length, which is generally done by 
snipping the hair of each animal. The value of the rights 
is one dollar each, and these may be purchased, but then 
the cattle are to be marked with the letters of the owners 
of the land, thus showing that these only are in enjoy- 
ment of rights belonging to them. 

At these meetings also a committee is appointed to 
" drive the meadow," that is, to visit it several times in the 
season to see that no cattle are there save those properly 
belonging to the proprietors. If any are found, they may 
be "pounded." The committee receive a moderate com- 



* Although "neat and horned cattle" only are now admitted to the meadow, 
yet this regulation probably did not always exist, for in October, 1795, it was 
" wteef that no horse or horse kind Jack Ass or Mule be allowed to Run at Large 
in sd Meadow from this time forward until the proprietors Agree Otherwise," 
etc. This was repeated the next year, when it was " voted that all horses, 
horse kind &c, shall be branded with the two first letters," etc. But in 1803 
it was "voted that no horse kine be turned into sd Meadow the present Year," 
and this restriction continued thereafter, with the exception of colts under a cer- 
tain number of months of age. 



The North Meadow. - 113 

pensation, either in money or by the gift of an additional 
right. The time of " closing- the meadow " is about the 
first of December. The crops are supposed to be all re- 
moved before the "opening"; if they are not the possible 
loss falls upon the owner. A proper consideration in a 
short delay is sometimes given to any one who from sick- 
ness or misfortune has not been able to gather them into 
his barns ; but generally, the day having been known 
long before, no trouble is experienced. A few slow mov- 
ing men, procrastinators, are sometimes caught. 

The proprietors hold two meetings annually, one in 
March, and one in October, at which officers are chosen 
and committees appointed. The secretary posts a call for 
the meeting, together with the names of the owners of 
"rights," near the entrance to the meadow, so that the 
correctness of the list may be established when they come 
together. The proceedings are supposed to be quiet and 
harmonious, but I understand will sometimes rival those 
of a district school meeting. The privileges are valuable, 
and each owner naturally desires to secure all that belongs 
to him — of course no more. 

The expenses are not large, but the roadways must 
be kept in passable order, and fences secured at the 
upper and lower end, that is, at the Windsor line on 
the north and at the track of the New England Rail- 
road on the south. Formerly the lower bounds were near 
the meadow bridge, but after the Providence & Fishkill 
railroad was built, its northern line was regarded as the 
southern boundary of the meadow. The high elevation 
of the tracks was supposed to be as effectual a barrier 
against trespassing as a fence. The former limits of 
the meadow were narrowed somewhat when the rail- 
road to Springfield was built. The east line of the 
railroad is now the west line of the meadow, so that 
a portion of the land, extending from the railroad to 
the fences on the west, has been cut off, and does not 
15 



ii4 U p Neck in 1825. 

come into common use. This was arranged for, I under- 
stand, by some compensation when the change was 
made. The committee, as has been said, establish the 
number of rights to which each proprietor is entitled. 
If his field has been cultivated to corn or potatoes, the 
value is much less than it would be if in grass ; and if 
there is a good crop of rowen on the ground, the 
owner is considered in the increased rights allowed him. 
The feed is valuable, and brings the cattle into winter 
in good condition. All this matter is probably not fully 
understood by a great majority of our citizens, but it 
is governed by legal enactments, existing from an early 
period. 

It is a beautiful sight, when driving through the 
meadow on a fine day in October, to see the hundreds 
of animals leisurely feeding, or quietly ruminating in 
the shade of a large elm or maple. It is certainly so 
in one of those glorious times of our Indian summer, 
when the air is warm and still, and a moderate haze 
is spread over the whole valley, partially concealing, 
but not blinding all objects. The picture is one of real 
enjoyment, to be appreciated by any who have the 
least particle of love for natural objects ; its very quiet- 
ness is comforting to a troubled spirit. Scarcely a sound 
is to be heard ; the birds are mostly gone ; a few 
crows, useful scavengers, are lazily flying about, and 
here and there, perched on the topmost limb of a tree, 
may be seen some of our hawks, watching for the 
mice or other like game. Occasionally a blue jay, gar- 
rulous fellow that he is, utters his hoarse scream, as 
if complaining that the farmer had carried away his 
corn. If you are near the " Hollow," you may hear 
the rattle of the king-fisher, as he darts into its waters 
for his finny food. It may be that you will hear the 
discharge of a gun, which starts all the birds around. 
and excites the anger of the owners of the cattle, for 
fear of their beings wounded. 



The North Meadow. 115 

Though this land can hardly be considered as 
" lying in the Neck," yet it is so near to it, and mostly 
belongs to the dwellers therein, that it would not be 
proper to overlook it in this paper. A comprehensive 
history of our meadows, north and south, would be a 
worthy subject for some one who has the knowledge 
and patience of research. 

The Slaughter House, which stood at the end of 
Slaughter House Lane, formerly called Soldiers' Field 
Lane, ought not to be overlooked. This might be called 
a continuation of Front Street north, passing on the 
east of the brick house formerly occupied by Jerry 
Cook. It is now mostly covered by railroad tracks, but 
the ancient road kept on the edge of the high ground, 
just out of the swamp, and terminated, when I was a 
boy, at the slaughter house. From this building to the 
land north of it, where George M. Way had a house 
and barns, there was a low stretch of land, like the 
break in a levee, which permitted the floods of the 
river to pour through, and extend farther to the west, 
on the lot of John H. Lord. I suppose that the early 
settlers went up this lane, which was not always covered 
by the floods, and having come to the break in the 
high land, turned westward, going near the foot of 
Russell Street, and then west and north through or 
near the woods afterwards called Morgan's, and still 
afterwards Patten's, and then came out on still higher 
ground just south of the old alms-house, opposite the 
North Cemetery. This is the route which any one 
would naturally take. 

As to the slaughter house, I cannot learn much 
about it. It was probably erected many years before 
1825, for formerly there was quite a large export from 
Hartford of beef and pork. Droves of cattle and swine 
came in from the surrounding country. Quite a business 
was done there within my own recollection, and a very 
extensive one many years before, I judge, from an 



n6 Up Neck in 1825. 

examination of the account books of some of our old 
merchants. 

For many years -this region was famous for its hen 
and turkey "shoots," in Thanksgiving- week. The poor 
birds were put up at certain distances, and were the 
targets for experienced and inexperienced gunners, at a 
sixpence or a shilling per shot, to be the price of the 
one who killed or succeeded in so disabling it that it 
could not stand. It was sometimes thought that they 
were killed several times before they became the prop- 
erty of the successful competitor. A Humane society 
had not then objected to this sport, nor had it become 
a custom, as lately, to raffle for these birds in a saloon. 
It is quite possible that the whisky there found is 
more destructive than the powder and lead used at 
Slaughter House Lane; the latter was not "warranted 
to kill at forty rods," and it is easy to see how the 
whisky came to have this special recommendation. Great 
is the Saloon, and powerful is its whisky. 

A history of the Meadow would not be complete with- 
out a notice of "Skinner's Hollow." This lies in a ravine 
about twenty rods west of the river, and a dozen rods 
north of the New England road. It may be thirty rods 
in length, and six or eight in breadth. It is overflowed 
by the annual freshets, and as the water subsides, quite a 
variety of fish are retained in it ; even a few alewives 
are sometimes caught when a net is drawn in summer. 
A few springs in -the west bank give a partial supply of 
fresh water, so that a small stream is usually running out 
of it. It is continued into the large sheet of water be- 
tween the "Island" and the meadow road, and empties 
into the river near the ice-houses. A dam erected by the 
ice cutters is a barrier to its easy discharge, and creates 
a large pond which furnishes a bountiful supply of ice. 
Many years ago, before these operations were commenced, 
the strait between the main land and the Island was so 
narrow that we could jump across it at low water, when 



The North Meadow. 117 

we went farther up the shore, for the purpose of bathing. 
No boy at that time, however, would use this word; it was 
"going in swimming"; "bathing" was too tame to ex- 
press the activity and hilarity of thirty or forty youngsters 
in the water. 

A small bridge at the southern end of the Hollow 
enabled us to cross easily over to the river ; the road was 
used by the farmers, and by those who drew sand from 
the river bank. But afterwards, when the water was 
caused to set back by the dam below, we were obliged to 
go north, around the pond, in order to get to the river. 
I have not examined the deeds of land lying around the 
Hollow, but the prefix of Skinner came undoubtedly from 
some former owner. It was quite well stocked with our 
common fish, pickerel, perch, roach, etc., and afforded good 
sport with the hook. But after haying, when there was 
time for a " fish fry," and the Cooks, and Tim Sheldon, 
and some others, had drawn their nets, there was but 
little satisfaction left for the angler. 

It was formerly a very pretty little piece of water, 
lined on both sides by large trees, and was so quiet and 
still that a contemplative man could spend an hour in 
gazing upon its beauties. If a change was desired he 
could stroll over to the river, and seated upon a log drifted 
on the sand, enjoy the fine breeze which came up from 
the south, cool and refreshing even on a hot afternoon in 
summer. Looking east, a long stretch of the East Hartford 
Meadow was before him. Turning south, the most con- 
spicuous object was the " Great Bridge," little dreaming 
of the elephant it was to become in after years ; the rum- 
ble of wheels in crossing it was greater than the gentle 
murmur which came up from the city. Not a noise was 
heard as loud as the splash of the sturgeon as *he fell 
back into the waters from which he so joyfully leaped. 
Taking advantage of the wind, the white sails of heavily 
loaded scows, or "Windsor brigs," as they were frequently 
called, might be seen, slowly moving up the river. If 



n8 



Up Neck in 1825. 



not as rapid or graceful as our modern yacht, they were 
probably more profitable to their owners, and well fitted 
for transportation of goods. A lull in the wind would 
cause the two or three men aboard of them to spring to 
their poles, and so, slowly and laboriously pushing along, 
they broke the general silence by an occasional song, or 
musical cries, which seem to be general the world over in 
such labor. 

There was a small pond on the southeast, a few feet 
from the large one, but holding no communication with 
it. This was surrounded by trees so thickly, that its 
waters appeared to be almost black ; no fish were found 
in it, except a few small bullheads. It was a gloomy spot, 
in decided contrast with the greater sheet near it, espe- 
cially on a sunny day, when the bright rays streamed 
through the open branches of the maples, ashes, and oaks; 
the surface then was almost like silvered glass. This was 
quite true on a sunny afternoon in August, when there 
was nothing to be heard but the chirping of numerous 
insects, or the occasional voices of men at work in the 
meadow ; the gentleness of nature itself was spread all 
around. The myriads of mosquitoes sometimes to be found 
here were kept at bay by the fresh breezes from the 
south ; but if one went to the lower and wooded ground 
on the west, he would see them in clouds, rising and fall- 
ing in gentle undulations, with a humming noise like that 
of a swarm of bees. In November, or before the closing 
of the river, the wild ducks, on their way to the south, 
would occasionally stop in the Hollow to feed, much to 
the interest of the skillful gunner. 

When it was visited a few weeks since, it was found 
in a very different condition ; many of the trees had been 
cut, so {hat now it was quite open to the sun and air, and 
the extent of water was limited. The small pond now 
communicated with the large one, for muskrats had so 
mined the narrow barrier that it was nearly thrown down. 
The carcass of an unburied horse, partly devoured by 



The North Meadow. 119 

dogs and crows, added nothing to the beauty or pleasant- 
ness of the surroundings. The odor was quite unlike that 
which comes from the semi-resinous buds of the river 
poplar or the young leaves of the neighboring willows. 

This was the neighborhood of the famous " fish fry." 
The day previous, nets had been drawn in the river and 
in the Hollow; the fish nicely dressed, were kept for the 
appointed feast. A lot of "jolly good fellows" had been 
notified and were promptly on hand. The Cooks, and 
Sheldons, and Goodwins, and other proper inhabitants of 
the Neck were there ; and others also, farther south, 
dwellers in the city, as Robert Turner, Nat Bunce, J. G. 
Eggleston, Jo. Harris, Benjamin Bolles, Hugh Waterman, 
Joseph Pratt, Gen. Hayden, Charles Olcott, Joseph Brad- 
ley, Charles Fowler, as full of fun as an egg is of meat, 
Harry Burr, and many others, occasional, if not constant 
visitors. No one enjoyed these festive occasions better 
than Benning Mann, who once set fire to a hay cock, by 
whose side Sam Shipman was quietly resting. If Capt. 
Aaron Cook could be persuaded to sing the " cow song," 
the merriment was complete and the revelry at its highest. 
One verse is given as a specimen, all joining in the chorus. 
It w r as evidently not the poetical construction or arrange- 
ment which put them in such good spirits. 

" There was an old man, 

Who had but one cow, 
And how to keep her 

He didn't know how ; 
So he built him a barn, 

To keep his cow warm. 
Harm ! boys, harm ! 

A little more liquor, 
Will do us no harm ! " 

It must not be judged that these occasions were times 
of drunkenness, for they were not ; the men truly were 
not total abstainers, but they meant to be temperate. A 
drunkard was despised by all of them. Athletic sports 



were indulged in by the younger and more active, such 
as running, jumping, and wrestling, while the elders sat 
quietly by as became them, drinking their punch, enjoying 
the fine afternoon, telling their stories, often repeated, 
perhaps, as is the custom with these ancients. The fish, 
with slices of salt pork as large as one's hand, were fried 
in that venerable, long-handled pan, which has honored al- 
most numberless such occasions. The potatoes and onions 
were a savory mess, and the cucumbers cut into ice-cold 
water, were warranted never to hurt anyone. The punch 
was a compound upon which some of the guests prided 
themselves ; practice had made them perfect. No water 
was allowed in its composition, save that which came from 
the melted ice ; considering that the only other fluid was 
rum, we can realize which was the greater factor ; those 
who partook of it could do the same also. This was not 
a funeral occasion, but an unbending for once in a year ; 
it was probably as quiet, and orderly, and temperately 
conducted, as many other feasts which are now celebrated 
under a roof, with brilliant gas-lights, popping of corks, 
singing of songs, and merry speeches. 

Some years ago, twelve acres of land, including the 
Hollow, belonged to the estate of Richard Goodman. Na- 
thaniel Goodwin and Henry Keney were appointed as 
appraisers. • "You being the youngest man," said Mr. G. 
to his colleague, "please state your opinion of its value." 
" Ninety dollars per acre," said Mr. K. with the prompt- 
ness of a business man who knows what he is about. 
" No, no sir, too much, too much." Recovering from his 
astonishment, he added, "Will you please tell me, Mr. 
Keney, the reasons for your opinion." " Yes, I will give that 
myself." " Oh ! oh ! I think we will go, Mr. Keney, I think 
we will go ; " and the appraisement stood. Mr. Goodwin 
was well acquainted with the meadow, had surveyed and 
appraised many of the lots, and been engaged in the 
settlement of many of the estates of the dwellers in the 
Neck. If all that he did in the line of his business for 



The North Meadow. 121 

the last forty years of his life could be recorded, with his 
quaint sayings and sly humor, it would be a valuable ad- 
dition to our local history, and a strong testimony to the 
exceedingly good nature and integrity of this uncommon 
man.' He probably never attended a "fish fry," for there 
he would have been out of his element ; his brother James 
willingly supplied his place on such occasions. 

Probably no two men had gone over the land in the 
north part of the town so frequently and minutely as 
Capt. Aaron Cook and Nathaniel Goodwin. The division 
of estates required their frequent services, and any one who 
rummages among old family papers and maps in the sur- 
veyor's office, will be astonished at the extent of their 
labors. The maps of the town by Capt. Cook, with names 
of roads and streets, and lines of lots with the owners' 
names, are particularly valuable. The present preservation 
of them may be safe, but a publication of them would in- 
sure against a possible destruction. The same may be said 
of our Town Records, whose loss would be a very serious 
matter. So much is contained in them with reference to 
our early history, that the volumes would be interesting 
to read, and valuable to be kept. If the records are de- 
stroyed or lost, their place would be quite imperfectly 
supplied by the extracts which from time to time have 
been published by individuals. The publication of our 
Colonial Records by order of the State, from the organ- 
ization of the first Court in 1636 up to the time of the 
Revolution, is a fair example of what should be done by 
the town of Hartford ; the sales would probably meet a 
large share of the expense. Mr. J. H. Trumbull and Mr. 
Charles J. Hoadly have done their work so well for the 
State, that they are deserving of the highest commenda- 
tion. It is not a matter for an individual to undertake at 
his own expense and hazard, but is becoming to the dig- 
nity and authority of the town. An assurance of correct- 
ness and completeness would thus be given, which could 
be obtained in no other way. 
16 



122 Up Neck in 1825. 

Upon reference to page 11 of this paper, a statement 
of George Cook will be found concerning certain large 
stones found in the meadow, larger than common mere- 
stones, set in a direct line, as though they marked the 
boundary of some former road ; and as published in the 
Times the suggestion was then made, that possibly these 
were established by the first settlers, which conjecture is 
doubtless incorrect. For upon reflection, we may consider 
that these men had something to do beside planting stones 
in an open and unsettled land ; no new squatter on a 
western prairie wastes his precious time in such unneces- 
sary labor, when the first aim is to obtain something upon 
which to live, so he travels here and there, as convenience 
suits him, until he is satisfied, or troubled with neighbors. 

The true time of their establishment was in 1768, for 
at the May session of the General Assembly in that year 
a memorial was presented by " Samuel Wadsworth and 
others, proprietors of the North Meadow in the town of 
Hartford, showing to this assembly that the road or cart- 
way from the north end of said meadow by the bridge, 
up north through said meadow about three miles, to 
Windsor line, etc., which cart-road having never been laid 
out and recorded so that its width is ascertained, and that 
it is necessary that said road be kept so wide as that 
teams can pass and repass each other, and that by 
encroachments said road is so narrowed that it is ren- 
dered almost useless ; praying for a committee to go and 
view the circumstances of said cartway and meadow, to 
fix and ascertain the width of said road by meets and 
bounds, and make report of their doings thereon," etc. 
The assembly appointed "Thos. Hosmer, Esq., Messrs. 
John Whitman and Benjamin Colton," and directed them 
to "make return of their doings thereon." 

At the October session of the General Assembly of 
the same year, this committee reported " that on the 
10th day of instant October they viewed said road, 
heard all parties, and are of opinion that there is need 



The North Meadow. 123 

of said road's being widened and staked out as prayed 
for ; and accordingly said committee began at Windsor 
line and laid out said highway or road two rods wide, 
running southerly about thirty-seven degrees west, and 
at the end of every forty rods erected bounds or mon- 
uments, and in the lane near the bridge, the way not 
being quite straight, they erected bounds every three 
or four chains till they came to said bridge in said 
meadow ; " whereupon it was 

"Resolved by this Assembly, That said road or cart- way, as laid 
out through said meadow by the committee aforesaid be, and the 
same is hereby ordered and established to be and remain a road or 
cart-way through said meadow forever, for the use of the proprietors 
of said meadow." 

By this report of the committee, it will be noticed 
that the course of the road was direct from the Wind- 
sor line, nearly three miles in length, to the meadow 
bridge. Here there was a curve to the west, beginning 
near the present ice-house, and continuing to the bridge, 
as there is to this day. I find no other enactments 
concerning the lay-out of a road through the meadow, 
or the establishment of metes and bounds, except this, 
in an examination of the printed Colonial Records. The 
memorial specified that it had never been laid out or 
recorded, and hence the action of the General Assembly 
was prayed for and obtained. These "bounds or mon- 
uments at the end of every forty rods," differing from 
the usual mere-stones, are the ones, without doubt, which 
George Cook says are now occasionally met in plowing ; 
all being in a straight line, which if prolonged towards 
the Windsor line would lead into the river ; showing 
also that the course of the river has changed materially 
at the north end of the meadow. 

Near the Windsor line there was always less of 
the swampy ground than farther south, and but little of 
the wood is now standing. East of this, toward the 
river bank, the ground is more elevated, and was found 



124 Up Neck in 1825. 

quite dry this second day of April. The farmers were 
then carting- manure on their fields, with perfect ease 
except through a slough near the meadow gate, and a 
terrible piece of road between the gate and the road 
to Windsor. It was only equaled by that stretch of 
public highway about thirty rods in length, between 
the bridge and the " Staddles," which is a disgrace to 
the civilization of the towns in which it lies, and will 
remain so until it is thoroughly underdrained. What 
has been done south of this can be done here, and it 
should be thoroughly done at once ; it is folly to cart 
gravel upon such a soft clay bottom as exists here. 
It is no excuse that this nuisance lies upon the out- 
skirts of Windsor and Hartford ; every citizen has a 
right to complain that this great highway to the north 
remains, and has remained for many years, in its pres- 
ent condition. We might refer to the ordinance of the 
General Court in 1645, which directs "that the high- 
way e between the sayd Wyndsor and Hartford in the 
upland be well and passably amended and mayntayned 
for a continuance, by Hartford by so much as belongs 
to them, and by Wyndsor by as much as belongs to 
them ; " and Hartford has nearly complied with this 
order, for on its part it has mostly stoned the road 
bed, so that its portion of the work is very comfortable 
for travelers.* 

In the meadow, near the division line of the two 
towns, and not very distant from the river, there is to 
be found seven or eight very old apple trees ; these 
are ungrafted, and all that is left of a former orchard, 
I understand. One of the largest measured eleven feet 
six inches in circumference at three feet from the 
ground ; and this was but a shell of its former greatness, 
for it was much decayed, and one side of it was wholly 
gone. The ice, in large cakes, floating down the river 



* Since this was written I understand that the town of Windsor has deter- 
mined to thoroughly repair its portion of this highway, 



The North Meadow. 125 

in the high floods, had probably ground into the tree 
in former times, and so led to its permanent injury. 
Or possibly the farmers had hitched their horses to it, 
and these, for want of hay or oats, or from a vicious 
habit, had gnawed into its side, as we may see they 
have done all over our city. It is impossible for us to 
ascertain the age of these trees, but judging from the 
size of the trunks, and the ample tops, and the size of 
some trees of which we have knowledge, they are from 
one hundred to one hundred and fifty years old. There 
is no great bulging, or buttressing at the crown of the 
trees, and apparently there has been a deposit of earth 
around them, brought down by the floods in spring 
time. Mr. Marsh tells me that this orchard formerly 
extended to the river, and that some trees have- been 
washed away within his remembrance. A large white 
maple {Acer dasycarpuni), standing near, and much in- 
jured, measures fourteen feet three inches in circum- 
ference at three feet from the ground. In March, 1884, 
I measured an old apple tree standing in the highway 
to Windsor, west of these described trees, and near the 
residence of George L. Deming, which was twelve feet 
in circumference in the waist, at three and one-half 
feet from the ground. Heavy winds twisted and broke 
it in pieces, and it is now gone. It probably was as 
old as those in the meadow, and the great buttresses 
which supported it were all exposed to view, as they 
were out of reach of the silt of the river. 

Although the proprietors of the Meadow were required 
to keep the bridges in order and the roads in repair, yet 
complaint was made by those owning land in the north 
part of it, that while they were taxed equally with others 
for these purposes, their own section was neglected, and 
that " they have no use or benefit by the way that leads in 
at the south end of said meadow, and runs north through 
the same, but have at their own cost been obliged to find 
and repair ways for themselves, .... praying to be 



126 



Up Neck in 1825. 



released from said taxes so long as they provide their own 
ways, etc." This memorial was presented to the General 
Assembly in 1756, signed by John Talcott, John Cook, 
Joseph Wadsworth, Wm. Wadsworth, John Spencer, Ann 
Dickinson, Ozias Pratt, Zebulon Goodwin, Wm. Goodwin, 
Daniel Marsh, Daniel Wadsworth, Joseph Wadsworth, Jr., 
and Moses Dickinson. Col. John Pitkin, Capt. Stephen 
Hosmer, and Capt. Daniel Webster were "appointed to 
inquire into the matters referred to, and to make report 
to the Assembly at New Haven in October next." 

The committee reported favorably, and it was resolved 
" that the aforesaid report of said committee be, and is 
hereby, accepted, allowed, and approved ; and the said 
memorialists and each of them are hereby also released and 
discharged from the aforesaid tax already granted by said 
proprietors, and shall be exempted from any future tax 
or rate that shall or may be by said proprietors granted 
by the proprietors aforesaid, so long as the memorialists 
shall at their own cost provide ways for themselves suit- 
able for their need and situation." 

This decision would seem to be perfectly just when 
we consider that the meadow was nearly three miles in 
length, and that the expenditures were made in the south- 
ern part, greatly to the inconvenience of the proprietors 
in the north. Perhaps this led to a better arrangement, 
and might do the same in many towns where outlying 
roads are sadly neglected. 

The Swamp has often been referred to in this paper, 
and it is frequently mentioned in the records of the Gen- 
eral Court, of the town, and in old deeds. It was so much 
lower than the meadow that it was unfit for cultivation, 
but was covered with a heavy growth of trees, principally 
of the black and swamp white oaks, white and red maples, 
some ash and elm, and an occasional hickory. Over fifty 
years ago I found nuts of the latter which fairly rivaled 
the famous nuts from Windsor or Glastonbury meadows ; 
and once a patch of the high blackberry, whose fruit was 



The North Meadow. 127 

as large and luscious as any to be seen in our gardens. 
And here too I found four varieties of our wild grapes, 
very good of their kind, but not to be tolerated when bet- 
ter ones can be so easily procured. The old area of the 
swamp is now much diminished, and but comparatively 
little of the wood remains. Before many years this will 
be cut off, thus admitting the sun and air, and permitting 
a quicker drying of the land. When this is done, the 
winds which now have free course over the meadow, will 
sweep over the old swamp, and if better drainage is pro- 
vided, will give us less swarms of mosquitoes, and 
improved chances for good health. 

The Creek rises in the southwest part of the town 
of Windsor, and receives the drainage from a large 
area. It is crossed by the road which runs from the 
Blue Hills to the Windsor road, about four miles from 
the city, and running southeasterly crosses this last- 
mentioned road just above the third mile stone ; turning 
south it passes through the swamp, and enters the Con- 
necticut river near the pumping house of our water- 
works. Quite a body of water flows down it after a 
heavy rain, but during the summer the amount is small. 
There was a saw-mill on it, near the old red tavern 
within my remembrance, but the building has been 
destroyed, together with the dam, for many years past. 
There was pretty good fishing in this stream, above 
the meadow bridge, at one time, for small pickerel ; 
but then more dead hogs, cats, and old horses were 
put under ground, rather than committed to the water. 
Neither was the region considered a free dumping 
ground for all sorts of rubbish and filth, which is sure 
to be found in a city, but which ought to be burned. 

Since the south line of the common field is now 
the embankment of the New England Railroad, the 
way from the meadow bridge to said road has remained 
in a neglected condition. Whether the proprietors gave 
up their control of it is not clear ; the town does 



128 



Up Neck in 1825. 



nothing toward its repair, and apparently the city does 
not. It is much cut up by the heavy teams, drawing 
sand from the bar near Skinner's Hollow, so that, we 
might say, if it belonged to the city, that the city was 
unmindful of its duty. It may be a matter of disputed 
ownership and care, resembling much the uncertain 
residence of an undesirable pauper, who is banged about 
from one town to another, with no one anxious to 
claim him as a lawful resident. 

Towards the north of the meadow the road is not 
as much traveled. While it is "passable," yet it is not 
"convenient." The tread of the oxen and the wheels 
of the cart have worn deeply into the soil, leaving a 
ridge in the middle of the track, which is decidedly 
objectionable to one who is driving over it in the or- 
dinary one-horse buggy. Though the road is for the 
proprietors only, yet the great comfort to travelers who 
are permitted to use it, would seem to indicate that what 
would not be granted as a right, might be yielded as 
a favor. Perhaps the proprietors had this in mind, 
when on March 1, 1872, it was 

" Voted, That the proprietors have leave to take the balk* out of 
the middle of the road against their own land, or at any other point 
with consent of the committee." 

In the latter part of August the swallows began to 
collect in great numbers before migrating to the south. 
Just before sundown they would settle among the 



* Balk. The word is an old one, and is still in common use, and, as will be 
seen, refers to a ridge of land left undisturbed by the plow. In none of the authori- 
ties which have been consulted do I find any reference to a ridge of grass- 
covered land in a road-way ; yet it is just as applicable and proper as if it was 
an unplowed ridge in a field. Anyone will recognize this when he drives with 
a one-horse wagon through the northern part of the meadow. Continuous use by 
cattle with the ox cart have worn deeply two paths or ruts, in some places a 
foot, or even more, below the level of the adjacent land. In the middle of the 
track is a ridge of earth, grass covered, which is narrow, but as high as the mea- 
dow, not wide enough for the tread of the single horse. He is in doubt, and per- 
plexed about his footing, and not unfrequently the wheels of the buggy on one 
side are so high above the others, by running upon the bank, that there is great 
danger of an overturn. And the reflections of a traveler are, that the town is 
very remiss in leaving a road in such a dangerous condition. We ought to be 
much obliged to them for permission to travel through this field, and enjoy its 



The North Meadow. 129 

willows on the Island,f the arrivals continuing- until dark: 
the chattering for some hours was wonderful. After a 
while there was silence, as if the programme for the 
morrow had been discussed and agreed upon. If now 
a gun was fired they would rise up by thousands, and 
flying about for a while, would return to their resting 
place, and soon were quiet again. It was very inter- 
esting to watch them coming in troops to this gathering, 
from all quarters of the horizon, as if this was under- 
stood to be a general rendezvous for all swallowdom. In 
the morning they were off, flying about all over this 
region, gathering their food as usual in their graceful 
sweeps and curves in the air, and at night returned to 
the willows. This was repeated for a few days, and 
then they were gone, to be no more seen until another 
spring brought them back again ; the suddenness of their 
departure was a surprise to all unacquainted with their 
habits. 

Formerly, it was supposed that they buried them- 
selves in the water and mud, at the bottom of ponds 
and rivers. It is astonishing what an amount of evi- 
dence can be obtained that they do hibernate in this 



beauties ; it is their own, and we are trespassers except by their consent. When 
crowds flock to the meadow to play ball on a Sunday, or too many consider it a 
fair place for filling their bags with corn, or potatoes, or apples, why, the farmers 
still regard it as a trespass, but without any qualification or reservation. 

Balk. A ridge of green sward left by the plough in ploughing, or by design 
between different occupancies in a common field. — Halliroell. 
" In agriculture, are ridges or banks between two furrows or pieces of 

arable land. — E. Chambers Cyclopedia, 173s. 
" A ridge generally; a dividing ridge; a bar. — Neiv English Dictionary, 

Murray. 
" A ridge ; especially a ridge left unploughed in the body of a field, or 

between fields ; an uncultivated strip of land, serving as a bound- 
ary, often between pieces of ground held by different tenants. 
The latter use originated in the open air system (common in Eng- 
lish and Scotch).— Century Dictionary. 
" A ridge in one's path, a stumbling-block, check. — New English Dictioti' 

ary. 
" A ridge of land left unploughed between furrows, or at the" end of a 

field. A ridge between furrows. — Webster. 

t Though called "the Island," yet it was not truly an island, though probably it 
had been one at some former period, when the river, or a part of it, had run through 
the land at the south of Skinner's Hollow. 

17 



130 Up Neck in 1825. 

manner. Sworn testimony can be found, that in great 
flocks they have been seen diving- into the water, and 
that they have been dug out of the mud in midwinter, 
without any signs of life, but have returned to anima- 
tion upon being brought into a warm room. The idea 
is a very old one, and most of the evidence in favor 
of this hibernation is quite ancient ; but there is some 
testimony in its favor in the present century, and some 
even in our own country. A few years since I pre- 
pared a paper upon the "Hibernation of Swallows," and 
was surprised to find how generally it was believed 
that they spent the winter in the mud : a mass of evi- 
dence was brought together which was wonderful in its 
support. But it was not true; no such thing happens, 
and cannot happen to these delicate birds ; it is a phys- 
ical impossibility. All swallows held under water by 
the hand are drowned in a very few minutes, and there 
is no reason to suppose there would be a different re- 
sult if they went under it of their own will. The whole 
difficulty was this, that the migration of these birds 
was not well known at the time, and the suddenness 
of their departure led to the belief that they must 
have gone to the bottom of the ponds and rivers, 
especially as they were seen flying low over them, and 
diving suddenly down to the water, were said to have 
disappeared. The thousand upon thousands which I saw 
years ago would fly in masses over and about the 
river, wheeling and turning, and in the dusk of even- 
ing were out of sight in a moment. Where were they? 
in the mud ? no, in the willows, which hiding place was 
revealed by their chattering. 

There are other birds which assemble in the meadow 
in the autumn time. At least fifty-five years ago I found 
quite a resting place of the crow-blackbirds among some 
young' soft maples and willows. About sundown they be- 
gan to assemble, and before dark they appeared a black, 
chattering mass among the trees ; the limbs were broken 



The North Meadow. 131 

and the ground was covered with droppings and dead 
birds. A gun fired at a venture brought down several, 
and the whole flock rose a short distance above the trees, 
only to relight in the same place. In a small way it was 
a reminder of Audubon's description of a pigeon roost in 
Kentucky. An inquiring turn of mind led to the dressing 
and broiling of several ; the flesh was dark colored, dry, 
and almost flavorless ; there was nothing repulsive either 
in appearance or flavor, but one would prefer a woodcock 
or snipe very naturally. 

These two last-mentioned birds were formerly very 
plenty in the meadow and swamp. The old hunters would 
tell wonderful stories of the number which they had easily 
obtained in a few hours ; and inasmuch as these stories 
are not concerning fish, where a slight exaggeration is 
considered allowable, and as the hunter is always a man 
of a certain amount of veracity, why, his account is to be 
received with so much of truthfulness as belongs to the 
character which he has established. With this very clear 
and explicit statement no hunter can complain. When a 
very truthful man says that he killed one hundred wood- 
cock in six mornings, years ago, when he was young, 
why, he must be believed ; if he had said that he got a 
thousand of them, we might entertain a doubt. 

The wild pigeons also were plenty here, stopping for 
a short time in the spring on their way to the north, and 
also in the autumn, in great numbers, upon their return. 
George Cook says that he has known of their nesting in 
the trees of the swamp. 

When this land is overflowed by the. spring freshets, 
great numbers of muskrats are driven from their haunts, 
and swimming about in the flood, fall victims to the 
numerous gunners, who kill them for their skins ; nearly 
a hundred have been shot by a party in one day. The 
winter skins now bring from ten to fourteen cents, and 
the summer ones from twenty to twenty-two cents each ; 



132 



Up Neck in 1825. 



this good luck is generally confined to the first clay's 
work. 

A half dozen of mink were killed this last winter by 
one young man. The skins now can be sold for about a 
dollar, but the fur is not as valuable as formerly, for they 
are not now fashionable. At one time, during the war, 
they brought fourteen or fifteen dollars. Some years 
since an otter was shot here, but none of late. A few 
woodchucks are found, and skunks also. Of snakes the 
common striped one is not uncommon ; an occasional black 
one is seen. Among other animals are the usual field 
mice, and rats in considerable numbers. 

Before the Holyoke dam was built, and the pounds at 
the mouth of the river were established, there were sev- 
eral noted fish places for shad on the banks or flats east of 
Skinner's Hollow. A hundred years since, I am informed, 
that they were caught by the cart load and were sold 
at two cents apiece. Within the remembrance of George 
Cook, great numbers were still caught, and sold when he 
was a boy at twelve cents apiece. I have had the pick of 
them for twenty-five cents. Wm. Drake had a "fish place " 
a half-mile north of here, and was quite successful. None 
have been caught since the river was boomed for logs, 
ten years or so ago, for the fish, fearing to pass under 
the boom in shallow water, kept in the deeper places, 
beyond the reach of the net. The fishermen were dis- 
couraged at the small hauls, and gave up their nets. 
These, and many other fish places on this river, now be- 
long only to the past, due, as G. C. says, principally to the 
pounds at the mouth of the river. The selfishness of a 
few men has so shaped legislation that the people must 
suffer for their benefit. Whatever fine-spun theories may 
be allowed to prevail in favor of these obstructions, a 
common-sense view of the subject would seem to be, that 
the shad should be allowed to pass up the river at all 
times, and thus give an equal chance to all the fishermen 
upon its banks. Massachusetts would thus have no right 



The North Meadow. 133 

to complain of the selfishness of Connecticut, and would 
doubtless be more liberal and just to all, from the source 
of the river to the river's mouth. 

This meadow, while owned by individuals and culti- 
vated by them like other lands, was yet subject to common 
use at a stated period. It w T as fenced on the north and 
on the south by the proprietors, in proportion to the 
number of acres which they possessed, subject to a certain 
deduction in the length by the "difficulty of setting-," or 
the danger of it being carried away by the floods. Every 
few years a committee was appointed to " New Moddle and 
Lay out the Common" fence. The list for the year 181 8 
commenced as follows : 

"A distribution of the Common fence round the Common field 
Called the North Meadow in Hartford to Each proprietor his just pro- 
portion being 13^ Links to an Acre beginning at the great River at 
the North End of sd Meadow and running Westerly on the south 
Bank of the Drain Called Barbers Drain — as follows." 

There is appended a list of the proprietors, one hun- 
dred and one in number, w T ith the number of "links of 
chain" assessed to each one, 75, 400, 762, 1,448, 27, etc. 

The following vote passed at a proprietors' meeting, 
October 2, 1820, shows the exactness with which the busi- 
ness was conducted, and is a fair specimen of the votes at 
the different annual meetings: 

" Voted Said proprietors have Liberty to turn into sd Meadow no 
more than one Ox or neat kine to 2 Acres of Land they are then 
possessed of in sd Meadow that hath not been Inclosed by particular 
Inclosure the present Year, and that all Creatures turned into sd 
Meadow shall be marked or Branded with the two first Letters of the 
proprietors name in whose Right they are turned in upon in Capitals 
not Less than 2 Inches Long fairly and plainly made on the Near side 
of every such Creature before they are turned into sd Meadow, and 
Each proprietor Shall Lodge a Certificate with one of the haywards of 
sd Meadow Showing the Number of Acres of uninclosed Land he hath 
at that time in sd Meadow at or before the time he shall turn his 
Creatures into sd Meadow and if any Creature or Creatures shall be 
put into sd Meadow or found there running at Large Contrary to 



134 Up Neck in 1825. 

the Intent and Meaning of the above Order Every such Creature 
Shall be Liable to be Impounded by the hayvvards of sd Meadow or 
by the owners of the Land whereon Such Creature Shall be found, 
and the owner or owners of Such Creatures so Impounded shall be 
Liable to pay fifty Cents poundage for Every such Creature, three 
Cents whereof Shall be for the turnkey." 

" Voted that Creatures under the above regulation may run at 
Large in sd Meadow 45 days after sd Meadow is Opened and no 
longer." 

In 1839, a vote was passed against turning into the 
meadow "any Unruly Creature or Creatures," with direc- 
tions that such shall be impounded if found. Frequent votes 
are passed "that no one of the Committee have leave to 
expend on the road more than two dollars without the 
consent of the majority " ; this was afterwards increased 
to five dollars. 

The roads and bridges of this "Long Meadow or 
Common Field" were to be made and kept in order by 
the proprietors of the meadow, at their own expense ; the 
town neither paid for them nor had control over them, so 
they were naturally jealous of their rights, and careful 
that no unwarranted or injurious use was made of them. 
I suppose that the general public had the privilege to 
pass and repass quietly through the meadow only by 
sufferance, if no damage was done ; it is among the 
many beautiful drives about our city at certain seasons, 
and is much frequented by those who are pleased with 
the long stretches of level land, the cultivated fields, 
and bountiful crops. I have never known of any one 
on such an errand being complained of, unless he left 
the meadow gate open, which too many carelessly did.* 
A boy often earned a small sum by attending to the 
gate. The following vote, passed March 1, 1842, ex- 
plains itself : 

" Voted that no person or persons have right to draw through the 
field any Brick wood or stone or anything else that is not the growth 



*In 1851 it was "voted that notice be put on the Gate posts that it be One 
Dollar fine for leaving either gate open during the time sd Meadow is open." 



The North Meadow. 



'35 



or production of the field without the leave of the Committee and any 
person who does not Conform to this Act may be prosecuted by any 
of the proprietors for the benefit of sd meadow." 

So level a road and retired a place doubtless made 
this a favorite track for the horsemen. The sport may- 
have become so common that it interfered with the 
farm work, or damaged the road, or brought together 
too many undesirable people for their comfort. At this 
same meeting there was passed the following : 

" Voted that no person or persons be allowed to run or trot horses 
for the purpose of trying there speed within the limits of the Hartford 
North Meadow on penalty of two dollars fine one half to the corn- 
plainer the other to the Treasury of sd field to be prosecuted by either 
proprietor." 

To guard against any possible deception or trickery 
this vote was passed Oct. i, 1842: 

" Voted, That if any proprietor after the assizers have vewed his 
feed shall Mow rowen and carry it off or corn stalks or plow any grass 
land within one week after sd meadow is Opened unless stated at the 
time the assizers viewed it that such was intended to be done it shall 
be the duty of the assizers to alter the number of creatures which had 
been given in the Certifficate according to the quantity of fodder 
carried off as to them shall seem fit." 

In 1875 this vote was amended by changing "one 
week to three weeks," and was so continued afterwards. 

In 1794 there were ninety-five proprietors; in 1818 
one hundred and one; and in 1844, seventy-nine. 

Mr. Charles M. Andrews, in his account of " the 
River Towns of Connecticut, a study of Wethersfield, 
Hartford, and Windsor," published in the Johns Hop- 
kins University studies 1888, has given a pretty accurate 
account of this common field, but has made a mistake, 
I think, when he says, "the cattle and cow rights, 
which were formerly so important, and were bought 
and sold, thus giving outsiders an entrance into the 
meadow, have been given up within twenty years." An 



136 Up Neck in 1825. 

examination of the records of the proprietors' meetings 
since 1792 shows nothing of this kind. And Mr. Thomas 
Gates, the clerk, says that is not correct as applied to 
Hartford. Mr. George Smith of Wethersfield, says there 
has been no change from former custom there, and 
that "when sold, prices ranged from 25c to 50c the 
season, per head, to non-proprietors." Mr. H. S. Hay- 
den of Windsor says "that the rights, which are worth 
from one dollar seventy-five to two dollars twenty-five 
cents each, according to the season, are still bought and 
sold ; and that there has been no change in this respect 
within the last twenty years." 

And I think Mr. Andrews has made a mistake when 
he says that "the practice of throwing open the meadow 
about the middle of November, a date decided by the select- 
men" etc. For, as I understand the matter of this par- 
ticular common field, and am informed by a number of 
proprietors, the selectmen of the town have nothing to 
do with it. It properly belongs to, and is subject to, 
the decision of the proprietors, as has been mentioned 
before ; they vote upon the time of opening, and declare 
when it shall close. If also, as he says, this time of 
opening " was quite as often fixed in town meeting as 
in proprietors'," there is no record or intimation of it 
in the records of the meetings of the proprietors of the 
north meadow, since 1792. I cannot go farther back 
than this, for the book of records previous to this date 
is lost ; at least Mr. Gates has it not in his possession, 
and has never seen it. Possibly the book may yet be 
recovered, as there is a rumor that it is still in existence. 

There is but little remaining to be said about the 
Hartford North Meadow, or Common Field. I have not 
been able to discover the time of opening the road south 
of Timothy Mather, from the highway to Windsor leading 
into the meadow. Perhaps it is referred to in the follow- 
ing vote passed in town meeting December 25, 1701 : 

"That Capt. Nichols Ensign Tho: Bunce Mr. Joseph Bull 



The North Meadow. 137 

Sergt. Edward Cadwell be a committee or any three of them, to goe 
and view a conveniant or the most conveniant place for a highway, 
from the ox-pasture hill to the river, and make return of their doings 
thereon to the next town meeting." 

There had been action previously directing this road 
to be opened, but it was reconsidered December 19, 1700, 
in consequence of disagreement or dissatisfaction in pass- 
ing through the land of or exchange of land with Capt. 
Joseph Wadsworth, so the above vote of 1701 was passed. 

Only one item more and I have done. In endeavoring 
to locate " Obadyah Spencer's now dwelling house," there 
was found in his will dated June 22, 1709, the following: 
" Item I give, grant, devise, and bequeath to Samuel 
Spencer my son all that Messuage," etc., and then he 
gives to Ebenezer, another son, " a lot of land in the long 
meadow in Hartford aforesaid, at a place called Hobs 
Hole,"* etc. Now, where was Hobbs' Hole? It had never 
been heard of previously by me, or recorded, to my knowl- 
edge, and it gave me as much anxiety as did the discovery 



* Though discouraged at learning of this new appellation, at the very completion 
of this paper, yet having something of the curiosity of R. C. to learn more, I in- 
quired some days after of Samuel Mather, if he could tell me anything about it. 
" Why yes," said he, " I hold deeds of several pieces of land, in which ' Hobs Hole ' is 
mentioned. It is about as large as a small barn yard and is five or six feet deep, and 
water is always standing in it." His daughter was familiar with it, and had gathered 
strawberries near it, in summer, and grapes in autumn. "Why yes," said John E. 
Marsh, " it is down there by the Creek, near the pasture where you see the bright sun 
light." So on the 27th of May, on a fine afternoon, I went in search for " Hobs Hole," 
and found it. It is but a few feet from the Creek, and surrounded by trees ; some 
are growing in it which may be fifty or sixty years old ; a small stream of water 
was running from it about as large as a pipe-stem. 

There was nothing to make it particularly noticeable at present. It was probably 
formed by the Creek, which had, in its windings in former years, left its ancient 
bed, and turning to the west, .had made a large circuit ; a high bank on the west 
and south had turned the waters eastward into its present course ; these had formed 
an almost complete loop, wearing away the alluvial soil, and by their violence, after 
a sudden and severe storm perhaps, had made such an excavation that it was digni- 
fied by the name of Hole. But why " Hobs Hole " ? This is a mystery which I can- 
not solve. "Skinner's Hollow" was so named, probably, from some ancient owner 
of land in its vicinity. Very likely a similar reason would account for this hole ; 
perhaps some notable event in which Hobbs was engaged, occurred here ; perhaps 
poor Hobbs was drowned here, possibly in attempting to cross the creek in high 
water ; possibly a tree which he was cutting fell upon him, and tumbled him into the 
current ; possibly he tumbled in of his own will. The speculations might be endless. 

But whatever might have been the origin of the name, it was early in the history 
of the Colony, for, as had been seen, it was mentioned by Obadiah Spencer in his will 
18 



138 Up Neck in 1825. 

of the footprints in the sand near the sea shore, by Robin- 
son Crusoe. There comes up for investigation, at the last 
moment, to disturb the peaceful completion of this paper, 
this annoying question, and I shall not venture upon it. 
Something must be left to those who come after us, as 
Mr. Samuel Tudor used to say, when complaint was made 
to him about the debt then existing for building Christ 
Church. 



in 1709, and had in all probability been well known many years previously, but no 
mention of Hobbs has otherwise been found. 

As if to complicate matters further, there comes at the last moment, just as these 
proofs are being corrected, a note from John E. Marsh, in which he says, "in my 
boyhood days the Up Neck folks used to speak of a place as " Bullerkin Hole'' (Bul- 
lock in liolel) This place was owned by Joseph Pratt in the Swamp near the west 
end of his meadow lot, nearly surrounded by trees, and in haying time was terribly 
hot. The place was just about as far south of the meadow road as Hobbs' Hole is 
north of it." It is very clear that the Hartford Long Meadow is not yet exhausted. 



INDEX OF PERSONS, Etc. 



Abbe, Deaf, 87. 
Adams, S. W., 57. 
Allyn, Benjamin, 65. 

John, 17, 23, 24, 25, 108, iog. 

Matthew, 17, 18, 20, 24, 25. 

Richard J., 65. 
American Mercury, 52. 

Preceptor, 100. 
Anderson, James, 34, 80, 92. 
Andrews, Charles M., 135, 136. 
Audubon, John J., 131. 
Bacon, Dr. Francis, 27. 

Dr. Leonard, 79. 
Barber, Grandison, 87. 
Barlow Knife, 98. 
Barnard, Bartholomew, 23, 30. 
Barrows, Frederick F., 104. 
Barry, Rev. Dr., 79. 

Dr. James W., 79. 
Batterson, S. S., 79. 
Beckwith, A. S., 73. 

Samuel, 86, 92, 106. 
Belden, Thomas, 34, 75, 77. 
Belcher, Samuel, 77. 
Bird, Rev. James, 53. 
Bidwell, Thomas, 70. 
Black Governors, 81. 
Bolles, Benjamin, 119. 
Boosey, James, 20. 
Bowles, John, 81. 
Brooks, D. S., 34. 
Bradley, Joseph, 119. 
Bull, Hezekiah, 13, 14. 

Joseph, 137. 
Bunce, Nathaniel, 119. 

Thomas, 137. 
Burkett, Thomas, 77. 
Burnam, Thomas, 17. 
Burr, A. E., 3, 7, 14, 50, 5S, 84, 91, 101. 
Chauncey, 45. 
F. L., 49. 



Burr, Harry, 119. 
Hezekiah, 84. 
James, 36. 
Moses, 38, 96. 
Bushnell, Rev. Dr. Horace, no. 
Butler, Normand, 68. 

Thomas, 25. 
Cadwell, Sergt. Edward, 137. 
John, 92. 
Thomas, 30. 
Capen, Henry, 107'. 
Josiah, 84. 
Josiah, Jr., 106. 
Cairns, Robert, 85. 
Church, Charles, 80. 
Edward, 95. 
George, 54, 82. 
Goodman, 21. 
Lorenzo, 57. 
Joseph, 57, 82. 
Samuel, 57. 
Clapp, Mr., 63. 
Clark, Daniel, 14. 

Nicholas, 24, 25. 
Collins, Barney, 70. 
Colonial Records, 121. 
Columbian Orator, 100. 
Comstock, Dr. J. L., 72. 
Cook, Aaron, 31, 53, 62, 69, 92, 119, 121. 
& Church, 55. 

Capt. George, 10, 55, 85, 102. 
George, 10, 94, 96, 107, 122, 123, 

i3 x > i3 2 - 
Jeremiah, 115. 
John, 126. 
Capt. John, 91. 
Moses, 85. 
Thankful, 65. 
William, 55. 
Cooley, Daniel, 70. 
Thomas, 57. 



140 



Up Neck in 1825. 



Copeland, Daniel, 34. 

Melvin, 34. 
Cotton, Benjamin, 122. 
Cowles, Gen., 70. 

Messrs., 75. 
Crusoe, Robinson, 137. 
Cuff, negro, 106. 
Daboll, Nathan, 101. 
Dekay, Dr. James E., 86. 
Deming, George L., 125. 
Denslow, Almanzor, 46. 
Dibden, Charles, 31. 
Dickinson, Ann, 126. 
Moses, 126. 
Mr., 63. 
Downing, A. J., 9. 
Drake, William, 132. 
Dyer, Zenos, 70. 
Eggleston, Nathaniel, 35. 
J. G., 74, 119. 
Elmer, Mr., 62. 
Ely, William, 68. 
Ensign, Capt. Nichols, 137. 
Episcopal Church, 60. 
Fowler, Charles, 119. 
Gates, Thomas, 24, 65, 136. 
General Assembly 1833, IC| 6- 
Gleason, Anson, 74, 75. 
Goodman, Aaron, 70. 

Richard, 119. 
Goodwin, Abigail, 57, 105. 

Allyn, 62. 

Asa, 87. 

Erastus, 34. 

Esther, 57. 

George, 13. 

James, 13, 34, 35, 70, 91, 92, 
121. 

James M., 34. 

John, 57. 

John, Jr., 52. 

Margaret, 7, 15, 29, 30, 31, 
63, 64, 85, 87. 

Moses, 63, 64, 65. 

Nathaniel, 31, 33, 35, 68, 75, 
119, 121. 

Patty, 49, 50. 

Samuel, 13. 

William, 92, 126. 

Zebulon, 126. 
Graves, Jeremiah, 40, 54, 55, 82. 



Green, 63. 

Greenfield, 13, 81. 

Grew, Rev. Henry, 54, 82, 83. 

Halles, Thomas, 21. 

Hall, Dr. Archibald, 96. 

Elsey, 93. 
Harris, Joseph, 119. 
Hart, Joseph, 92. 

L. B., 85. 
Hartford Times, 3. 
Hartshorn, Jonathan, 32. 
Hawes, Rev. Dr. Joel, 80. 
Hayden, Horace, 91, 93. 
H. S., 136. 
Gen. William, 119. 
Hibbard, Harvey, 53. 
Higley, Obed, 70. 
Hillyer, Gen. Charles T., 87. 
Historical Society, 3, 64. 
Hoadly, Charles J., LL.D., 90, 121. 
Holbrook, Dr. John E., 86. 
Hooker, John, 25. 

Thomas, 38. 
Hosford, Mr., 70. 
Hosmer, James B., 112. 

Capt. vStephen, 126. 
Thomas, 122. 
Howlet, Lemuel, 70. 
Humphries, Rev. Dr., 99. 
Hungerford, William, ^. 
Isham, Ephraim, 38. 
Introduction, Reader, 100. 
James, Mr., 28. 
Johnson, Samuel, 40. 
Jones, Julius, 55. 
Kelsey, Mr., 17. 

Stephen, 30. 

William, 29. 
Keney, Henry, 7, 50, 80, 81, 119. 

Mrs. Walter, 50. 
Kennedy, Leonard, 34, 37, 74, 80, 92, 
King, Wyllis, 62. [93. 

Kirkham, William, 94, 96, 98, 101. 
Knox, John, 51. 
Law, Jonathan, 112. 
Litchfield Co. Agr. Society, no. 
Loomis, Archibald G., 82. 

H. G.,31- 

Lord, Daniel, 13. 

John H., 3S, 115. 
Thomas. 21. 



Index of Persons, Etc. 



141 



McRonald, Thomas, 68. 
Maffit, John N., 42, 43, 44, 58-61. 

Mrs.^ 60. 
Mann, Benning, ng. 
Marsh, Daniel, 128. 

Edward, 87, 103. 

Guy, 6, 86. 

Hezekiah, 67. 

John, 9, 21, 67. 

John E., 85, 104, 125, 137, 138. 

Samuel, 68, 75, 76. 

Timothy, 87. 
Marshall, Major, 70. 
Marvin, or Mathew, or Merrill, 22. 

Thomas, 49, 51, 69. 
Mather, Charles, 9, 31, 63, 95. 
Elijah, 61. 
R. Strong, 44, 52, 60, 63, 65, 87, 

102, 107. 
Samuel, 7, 9, 137. 
Timothy, 24, 95, 136. 
Maxon, Mr., 3S. 
Merrill, Samuel, 70. 
Millard, John, 87. 
Morgan, John, 51. 
Moore, Daniel, 69. 

Samuel, 70, 75. 
Munyan, C. G., 83. 
Nichols, Cyprian, Jr., 13. 
Niles, John M., 37. 
Nott, Peleg, 81. 
Olcott, Ann, 14. 

Charles, 119. 

Hams, 50, 80, 85. 

Jonathan, 14. 

Michael, 76. 

Ruth, 95. 

Thomas, 16, 24. 
Page, Stephen, 82. 
Parker, F. H., 18. 

J. D., 77 . 
Patten, Nathaniel, 49. 
Perkins, Enoch, 92. 
Peters, John S., 33. 

John T., 33, 75. 
Phillips, William, 21. 
Erastus, 70. 
Pitkin, Col. John, 126. 
Plum, Mr., 20. 
Porter, Jo, 23. 

William S., 17, 19, 24, 26, 29. 



Pratt, Benjamin, 34. 
Daniel, 23. 
Isaac, 92, 104. 
Henry, 53. 
Henry T., 53. 
Israel, 91, 103. 
Joseph, 63, 70, 107, 119, 13S. 
Joseph, Jr., 70. 
Ozias, 126. 
Rescue, William, 21. 
Richards, Mr., 24. 
Robbins, Ephraim, 13. 

Samuel, 29, 30. 
Robinson, Samuel, 29. 
Rogers, Asa, 45, 66. 
Asa, Jr., 66. 
Simeon, 66. 
William, 66. 
Rowley, Warren, 76. 
Russell, Dr. Gurdon W., 31. 

John, 94. 
Ruggles, James, 57. 
Nathan, 57. 
Savage, Luther, 83. 
Scaeva, (I. W. Stuart,) 81. 
Scott, Thomas, 20, 2r. 
Sheldon, Henry, 87. 
James, 80. 
John, 87, 91. 
Joseph, 34, 37. 
Lot, 95. 
Richard, 94. 
Timothy, 96, 117. 
Shipman, Samuel, 119. 
Sisson, Thomas, 87. 

Thomas & Co., 57. 
Skinner, Darius S., 27. 

Ichabod Lord, 51-54, 63. 
John, 13. 
Smith, Alfred, 37. 

George, 136. 
Spencer, Ashbel, 53. 

Benjamin, 81. 
Ebenezer, 137. 
John, 61, 62, 126. 
Obadiah, 24, 137, 138. 
Samuel, 137. 
Theodore, 87, 91. 
Spicer, Rev. Tobias, 60. 
Stanley, Nathaniel, 29. 
Starkweather, Nathan, 7, 17, 64, 96. 



142 



Up Neck in 1825. 



Steele, James, 24. 
Stevens, Rev. Dr. Abel, 43. 
Stocking, I., 85. 
Storer, Dr. D. H., 86. 
Talcott, John, 126. 

Capt. John, 23, 24, 108. 
Eliphalet, 70, 72. 
E. & R., 69. 
Nathaniel, 37. 
Roderick, 70. 
Seth, 75. 
Stephen, 20. 
Todd, Ira, 48. 

Joseph, 52. 
Tomlins, Thomas, 30, 31. 
Tomlinson, Thomas, 29. 
Toucey, Isaac, 62. 
Town Records, 121. 
Trumbull, Joseph, 37. 

J. H., LL.D., 31, 121. 
Tudor, Samuel, 137. 
Turner, Robert, 45, 74, 75, 119. 
Tuttle, Samuel, 35. 
Universalists, 99. 
Wadsworth, Abner P., 65, 94. 
Daniel, 126. 
Elisha, 70. 
George, 10, 65, 93. 
Gurdon, 12-14, 38, 44, 45, 
James, 55. [55. 

Col. Jeremiah, 81. 
Jonathan, 39. 
Capt. Joseph, 39, 126, 137. 
Joseph, Jr., 126. 
Mr., 63. , 



Wadsworth, Nathan, 55, 102. 

Richard, 81. 

Roger, 91, 95. 

Samuel, 12, 39, 55, 65, 122. 

Thomas, 66. . 

William, 23, 38, 63, 65, 126. 
Wait, Joseph, 57. 
Ward, Nathaniel, 20, 23. 

& Bartholomew, 103. 
Waterman, Edward, 95. 

Hugh, 34, 80, 119. 
Watkinson, David, 53. 
Watrous, Rufus, 40, 57. 
Way, George M., 115. 
Webster, Capt. Daniel, 126. 
Mr., 23. 

Noah, 27, 28, 97, 100. * 
Wells, Charles, 105. 
Welles, Roger, 96. 
Wesley, Rev. Charles, 27. 
Westminster Catechism, 102. 
Westwood, William, 20, 30. 
White, J. H., 108. 
Whiting, Major, 70. 
Whitman, John, 122. 
Wilcox, Mr., 70. 
Wildman, Russell, 65. 
Williams, Elisha, 25. 
Windsor Brig, 117. 

Woodford, , 70. 

Wolcott, Henry, Jr., 20. 
Wright, Prof. G. F., 81. 

T. L., 53- 
Wyllis, Samuel, 108. 



INDEX OF LOCALITIES. 



Abbe's Lane, 15, 87. 
iEtna Bank, 82. 
^Etna Fire Insurance Co., 49. 
Agawam, Mass., 77. 
Albany, N. Y., 70. 

and Blue Hills Road, 70. 

and Prospect Hill Road, 70. 

Turnpike, 8, 14, 68, 69, 90. 
Alleghanies, 86. 
Alms House, 19. 
Ann Street, 69. 
Arkansas, 71. 
Arsenal School District, 96, 106, 108. 

House, 50. 
Asylum Street, 32, 39, 70. 
Avon, 70. 

Baltimore, Md., 65. 
Barber's Drain, 133. 
Belden's Lane, 8, 12, 77, 90. 

Store, 8, 77. 

Street, 12. 
Bellows Falls, Vt., 60. 
Berkshire County, 69. 
Blue Hills, 8, 15, 87, 127. 
Boston, Mass., 27, 61. 
Brattleboro, Vt., 69. 
Brick-kiln Brook, 90, 91. 

Swamp, 25. 
Brooklyn, N. Y., 53. 
Brook Street, 72. 
Brown School, 104. 
Burr Street, 38, 83. 
Bullerkin Hole, 13S. 
Butler Lot, 68. 
Button Factory, 56. 
Canton, 70. 

Street, 18. 
Capen Street, 85. 
Carriage Factory, 58. 
Catlin Corner, 55. 
Cedar Mountain, 95. 
Center Church, 53, 80, 



Center Burying Ground, 109. 

School, 101. 
Chapel Street, 43. 
Christ Church, 66, 76, 137. 
Church's Corner, 69. 
Church Street, 43, 58. 
City Hall, 9, 19, 58. 
Clark Street, 85. 
Connecticut, 86, 132. 

Colony, 109. 
River, 90, 107, 127. 
Shilling, 100. 
Cooper Lane, 8. 
Cow Pasture, 17, 21, 25. 
Creek, The, 127. 
Deerfield, Mass., 64. 
Dorr Street, 101. 
East Hartford, 17, 34. 

Meadow, 117. 

Side, 33. 

Windsor, 73. 
Elmer Street, 104. 
Enfield Falls, 69. 
England, 100. 

Episcopal Society of Hartford, 76. 
Exchange Bank, 67, 73. 
Farmers & Mechanics Bank, 80, 
Farmington, 75, 95. 
Ferry Street, 77. 
First Ecclesiastical Society, 77. 

North School District, 90, 91, 93, 
95, 100. 
Franklin Avenue, 52. 
Front Street, 115. 
Genessee Country, 45. 
Glastonbury Meadow, 126. 
Gravel Hill School District, 17. 
Great Bridge, 11 1, 117. 
Britain, 31. 
River, 25. 
Greenfield, Mass., 69. 
Griswpldville, 94. 



144 



Up Neck in 1825. 



Gully Brook, 70, 90. 
Hartford, 8, 9, 13, 20, 23, 24, 25, 29, 31, 
39. 5 2 > 53. 61, 67, 70, 73, 
76, 81, 82, 93, 95, 108, 121; 
124, 135, 136. 
Bridge Company, 69. 
Fire Ins. Company, 72. 
and Granby Turnpike, 17. 
Hotel, 57. 
Line, 88. 

North Cemetery, 9, 13, 14. 
Hebron, 34. 
Highlands, N. Y., 86. 
High School, 105. 

Street, 69. 
Hobs' Hole, 137, 138. 
Hockanum, 17. 
Holyoke Dam, 132. 
Island, The, 128. 
Isaac Pratt's Lot, 92, 104. 
Jacksonville, 111., 82. 
Johns Hopkins University, 135. 
Kennedy Street, 56. 
Kentucky, 131. 
Lands End, Eng., 100. 
Litchfield County, 69. 

Agr. Society, no. 
Little Ox-pasture, 25. 

River, 16, 90. 
London, 40. 

Love Lane, 15. « 

Main Street, 52, 55, 58, 59, 77, 85. 
Manchester, Vt., 80. 
Massachusetts, 81, 86, 132. 
Methodists, 41, 43, 45, 58, 59, 66. 

Church, 59. 
Middlesex, 63, 107. 
Mill River, 27. 
Mississippi, 38. 
Mobile, Ala., 43. 
Morgan's Woods, 115. 
Neck, 26, 29, 48, 63, 81, 95, in, 119. 

Lots, 53. 
New England, 81. 

Primer, 98. 

Railroad, 113, 115, 127. 
Bridge, in. 
Hartford, 70. 
Haven, 126. 
Newington, 94, 95, 98. 
New Main Street, 52. 



New York, 57, 63, 71, 73, 86. 
Nigger Lane, 12, 14, 82. 
North Cemetery, 9, 51, 81, 82, 115. 
Coventry, 53. 

Meadow, 6, 9, 13, 14, 25, in, 121, 
127, 133- 135, 136-138. 
Bridge, 18, 25, 127. 
Creek, 17. 
Lots, 18. 
Side of River, 23. 
Patten's Farm, 49. 
Pond, 80. 

Woods, 18, 19, 49, 115. 
Pavilion, 53. 

Street, 51. 
Pawtucket, R. I., 27. 
Penzance, Eng., 100. 
Pine Meadow, 70. 

Street, 12, 72, 82. 
Pleasant Street, 83. 
Plymouth, Mass., 81. 
Podunk, 17. 
Pool Lot, 9, 32. 
Providence, R. I., 27. 

& Fishkill R. R., 113. 
Ouinnipiac River, 27. 
Railroad Tunnel, 3, 20, 68, 88. 
Red Tavern, 9. 
River Towns, 135. 
Road to the Neck, 17, 56. 
Rocky Hill, 17, 95. 

Mountains, 74. 
Rope-walk, 34. 
Russell Street, 115. 
Roxbury, Mass., 27. 
Sanford Street, 61. 
Satan's Kingdom, 70. 
Savage's Woods, 84. 
Saybrook, 27. 
School House, 86, 89. 
Seekonk River, R. I., 27. 
Seyms Street, 80. 
Simsbury, 77. 

Skinner's Hollow, 56, 114, 116, 118, 120, 
128, 129, 132, 138. 
Slaughter House, 56, S5, 115. 

Lane, 115, 116. 
Soldiers' Field, 17, 18, 26. 
South School District, 105. 
Springfield, Mass., 67, 95, 113. 
Spring Grove Cemetery, 84. 



Index of Localities. 



J 45 



Staddles, The, 124. 
State Arsenal, 9, 51, 54. 

House, 9, 43, 58. 

Street, New Haven, 28. 
Stocking's Inn, 85. 
Stone Jug, 101. 
St. Thomas Church, 82. 
Swamp, 10, 18, 25, 40, 126. 
Talcott Street, 82. 
Ten Mile Woods, 23. 
Tomlin, 29. 

Trumbull Street, 43, 58, 59, 66, 68. 
Universalist Church, 79. 
Up Neck, 16, 17, 31, 50, 60, 62, 91. 
Village Street, 10, 17, 18, 52. 
Vine Street, 14, 85. 
Virginia, 82. 



Washington, D. C, 53, 105. 
West Hartford, 105. 

Fi mr Corners, 70, 87. 
Indies, 42, 73. 
Western Reserve, 45. 
Westland Street, 15, 24, 87. 
Wethersfield, 95, 135, 136. 
Wilson's Falls, 69. 

Windsor, 7, 9, n, 13, 17, 18, 20-26, 31, 

52, 67, 90, 124, 125, 127, 

135, 136. 

Line, 3, 60, 90, 119, 122, 123. 

Meadow, 126. 

Road, 8, 10, 12, 18-20, 29, 53, 

54, 68, 69, 88, 91, 104. 
Street, 52. 



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